Product Design Class Policy on the Use of AI

Convergence Design Labs Approach to Using AI in Learning Design:

The purpose of assessing student work is more than just handing out grades. It's about guiding students to understand what they already know and what they need to learn next. Think of it as starting a journey with some knowledge gaps, and through learning, you gradually fill these gaps until you're as skilled as someone just starting in their profession. Grades are just markers along this journey, showing how far you've come.

AI tools, like ChatGPT, are here to help on this journey. They're not just shortcuts for finishing assignments. Instead, they should be used to deepen your understanding of the subject. These tools can offer new insights, help brainstorm ideas, and even challenge your thinking. But, they can't replace the valuable experience of wrestling with a difficult problem and figuring it out for yourself.

When you use AI the right way, it becomes a partner in your learning. It should make you think harder, understand better, and learn more deeply. It's not just about getting the task done but growing your skills and knowledge in the process.

So, as we bring AI into our learning environment, we're focused on making sure it adds real value to your education. It's a tool for you to use to get a clearer understanding of complex ideas, to open up new ways of thinking, and to push your own limits. The real success in this course will be seen not just in the grades you get but in how much you've actually learned and grown. AI is here to help with that, but it's up to you to make the most of it.

Embracing AI in Design Education: A Forward-Looking Perspective:

In the realm of design, where creativity meets innovation, the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (G-AI) is not just a technological evolution but a paradigm shift. In our Convergence Design Labs, we're at the forefront of this transformation, exploring how G-AI across different modalities can enhance and expand human creativity, particularly in the fields of design.

G-AI's integration into our societal fabric signifies a monumental shift in values and norms. It's not merely a tool; it's a catalyst that redefines the boundaries of education, research, and our very conception of human intelligence. While G-AI challenges our traditional benchmarks of intelligence, potentially making certain human skills seem less significant, our approach is not to compete with AI but to collaborate with it.

Our design courses, including Toy Design (ME444) and Product Design (ME553), are a testament to our commitment to harnessing cutting-edge technologies for educational advancement. We believe in empowering you with AI as a partner in your creative process. It's about enhancing your capacity to think, design, and innovate.

In these courses, we provide ample creative freedom, encouraging you to explore the uncharted territories of design with AI as your ally. However, with great freedom comes great responsibility. We expect you to delve deeper, pushing the boundaries of both breadth and depth in your work. This philosophy of 'human + AI' aims to make you a smarter, more capable designer, equipped to thrive in an AI-augmented future.

The figure illustrates the complex dynamic interplay between human intelligence and AI, symbolizing our evolving understanding and application of these powerful tools in design education. Our goal is to prepare you for a world where AI is not just a tool you use but a partner that enhances your creative potential.

Encouragement of LLM Use:

- We actively encourage the use of LLMs, including tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E, in our class. These tools can be valuable in enhancing creativity, generating ideas, and improving language quality. And more importantly your learning.

Disclosure and Usage Guidelines:

- Students are required to disclose where and how they have used LLMs. This includes usage for language edits, idea generation, or obtaining more precise guidance.

- Submission of LLM prompts is encouraged, as it helps in understanding the thought process behind using the AI tool.

- Students should report in the group channel about their usage of LLMs, focusing on what they learned from the interaction rather than just the output received.

Learning and Intellectual Augmentation:

- The goal is to augment intelligence and enhance learning through the use of AI. We want students to use LLMs to supplement their thinking and not to replace it.

- It is crucial that students go beyond the AI's suggestions, verifying and building upon the information to deepen their understanding.

- Our interview at the end of the class (without use of AI) as well as your engagement in individual team channels will be critically assessed.?

Detection and Verification of LLM Usage:

- We have developed methods to detect the use of LLMs, including during presentations and submissions.

- Instances of verbatim use from LLMs have been identified. We urge students to critically evaluate and personalize AI-generated content.

Penalties for Non-Disclosure:

- Non-disclosure of LLM usage in coursework will result in severe penalties. All LLM-generated text, used for purposes including editing<edit> the author’s own text, ideation <idea>, enhancement by language chained queries <query”,? and other use must be clearly marked.

- We will announce additional points for those who go above and beyond the class in helping us understand your use of AI.

- We will investigate submissions for undisclosed LLM use and penalize accordingly.

Promoting Integrity and Curiosity:

- This policy aims to maintain academic integrity while fostering intellectual curiosity and growth.

- We encourage students to explore and interact with LLMs, using them as a tool for learning enhancement.

- The policy also acknowledges the evolving nature of AI in education, emphasizing a collaborative learning journey to maximize the benefits of AI use.

This guide now sets the stage for a responsible and innovative approach to leveraging AI in academic settings.

"Dear educators, students, and administrative leaders, I encourage you to actively contribute to the ongoing discourse by sharing your valuable comments and suggestions directly with Professor Karthik Ramani. Your input is essential in fostering constructive discussions and shaping the future of education. Let's collaborate to drive positive change together."

Disclaimer and Acknowledgements

This document and its contents are solely the work of Professor Karthik Ramani and ChatGPT? 4.0 and are not endorsed by Purdue University or any of the labs' current or past sponsors, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) or the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the U.S. government or Purdue University.

This guide was crafted with the assistance of Chat GPT 4.0 and draws upon insights from a range of sources. These include a U.S. Senate Briefing by Karthik Ramani in 2023, evolving policies from the ACM CHI (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems), discussion with Chris Callison-Burch, ITiCSE (Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education) working group on Generative AI, and extensive discussions with faculty and students in the field.

The intention of this guide is to provide a thoughtful approach to integrating AI into educational practices, specifically in the realm of design, and to provoke a deeper understanding of the interplay between human intelligence and artificial intelligence in the creative process.

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