Generative AI and Its Educational Implications

Generative AI represents a relatively new class of computational models in which words, images, sound, or video are constructed in forms previously only generated by humans. We provide an introduction to these systems in three sections. First, we introduce a variety of current generative models, with special attention to Large Language Models (LLMs), that undergird text generation in software such as ChatGPT. Second, we explain and illustrate the strengths and limitations of LLMs for various educational and professional activities. In the concluding section, we recommend subsequent research and practice in this rapidly changing field.