AI Tools

UFV AI Principles

The UFV AI Principles have been collaboratively developed by the UFV AI Task Force with cross-institutional input. The AI Task Force has developed these principles through a lens of fixed, flexible, proactive, and receptive approaches to support the diverse needs of the UFV community. The AI Principles will be used to support the Academic, Administrative/Information Systems, and Research sectors of the university in adopting and applying AI in their respective areas. Each area will develop and maintain guidelines that connect to these principles and are specific enough to respond to area needs. Training and resources will be required to mobilize the principles in these three areas.

The AI Task Force recognizes that the UFV AI Principles will need to keep pace with changes in AI technologies and social responsibilities. Implicit in these principles is the understanding that UFV is accountable for its use of AI and that the principles are adopted responsibly across the institution.

1. Integrity and Innovation
UFV should ensure that AI in education and research is used with integrity, amplifies innovative practices, upholds academic freedom, and is responsive to changing needs.

a. Education
b. Research
c. Academic Freedom

2. Flexibility, Adaptability, and Effectiveness
UFV acknowledges the rapidly changing landscape of AI technologies and supports adaptability and flexibility in using AI across the university.

a. Rapid change
b. Responsive
c. Efficient
d. Resourceful

3. Informed, Balanced, and Appropriate Use
All AI users in the UFV community need to remain informed and knowledgeable, exercise transparency, acknowledge bias, and act responsibly to ensure balanced use.

a. Consistency
b. Transparency
c. Responsibility
d. Accountability

4. Data, Content, and Governance
UFV must require AI to be built on a solid foundation of organized, accessible, and trusted data. The deployment of AI technologies must safeguard institutional and personal information, respecting the confidentiality and rights of all individuals involved and in accordance with applicable provincial or federal legislation or relevant industry certifications or standards.

a. Data infrastructure and security
b. Content ownership
c. Data privacy

5. Ethics, Digital Literacy, Regulation
The university must promote intentional, transparent, and ethical use of AI tools among staff, faculty, and students, ensuring that AI applications align with the university's values and principles and adhere to ethical frameworks such as fairness, clarity, and accountability to “do no harm.”

a. Misuse
b. Alignment
c. Mitigate risks

6. Inclusion and Accessibility
UFV recognizes that AI tools have the potential to reproduce and reify dangerous stigmas or biases and cause individual or cultural harm. Cultural sensitivity, diversity, and awareness must be integrated into the design and deployment of AI systems toward harm reduction and inclusion as well as implementing mechanisms for accountability and redress.

a. Culturally appropriate and diversity-centered
b. Indigenization
c. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

7. Positive Mindset, Forward Leaning Approaches
UFV promotes a positive and hopeful mindset toward AI and fosters an environment that embraces change and experimentation.

a. Opportunities
b. Creativity
c. Recognizing ambiguity

These UFV-wide AI Principles provide a framework for all university sectors and divisional areas to develop their own specific guidelines. The AI Principles help UFV be both consistent and flexible in its response to AI in a manner that is aligned with other post-secondary institutions. The AI Task Force recognizes the evolving nature of AI in post-secondary education and is committed to revisiting the AI Principles in response to rapidly changing contexts.

Further information, including a PDF download of the TLC's AI Guidelines and Principles, is available here.

ChatGPT and other AI Tools can convincingly write like a human. They can help you brainstorm essay outlines, reword phrases, and write filler text. However, most writing assignments at UFV will generally want to see demonstrations of your own writing skill. Always check with your professors about what role they see for AI Tools in their classroom. Some will allow more liberal usage, while others might ban consulting them all together. Others may have more nuanced views. It is always important to understand the expectations of each class's professor, so you will not inadvertently commit academic misconduct.