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Having addressed the potential benefits and the risks of using GenAI in research, how can you make the most of its potential?

Selecting the right GenAI tool

With the enormous choice of GenAI tools, each designed for specific tasks, it is important to know what part of your work could benefit from GenAI use, and what risks the use of each tool poses. Which factors do you need to consider?

Assess the needs

Assess the specific needs of your research or research support tasks and choose a tool/model that aligns with those requirements. Different tools excel in various domains, so select one that best suits your project.

Review data handling policies

Ensure that the AI tool you use or develop adheres to UU/UMCU privacy, data management, and security protocols. Before choosing a tool, check how the provider handles your data. Does the tool use your input to improve its model? Look for tools that clearly state they will not use your data for training and that have strong protections for sensitive information. Prioritize open-source tools with transparent data practices and clear privacy commitments. If in doubt, ask for expert advice. See the intranet page: .

Transparency

Choose a tool that provides transparency about how it works and how it was trained. The provider should be able to explain this in understandable terms.

Legal and ethical considerations

Consider the tool's implications in light of the legal and ethical considerations, such as respecting privacy and IP rights and setting guardrails against toxic (e.g. racist or sexist) output. The provider should have guidelines on this.

Environmental impact

Your model choice will affect the environmental impact (like carbon footprint, energy use and water use) of your GenAI use. Models may for example be hosted in countries that predominantly rely on fossil fuels or have very limited fresh water supplies, which increases the environmental impact. See also Risk and limitations.

Stay informed on model updates

Regularly check for updates. This ensures that you benefit from the latest security features and improvements while staying informed about changes in data handling policies.

Background check

In short, before adopting a new GenAI tool, take some time for a “background check”: is the tool safe to use for your work? And how can you use it most efficiently? Exchanging experiences and best practices with colleagues can be helpful in the process.