5 Generative AI and OER

There are important things that need to be taken into account when using Gen AI to create OER:

• A Creative Commons license can only be applied to something that can be copyrighted, as such a license is meant to release indicated copyright restrictions.
• Gen AI-created content cannot be copyrighted; therefore, it cannot carry a Creative Commons license. Instead, it should carry a note that it is in the Public Domain.
• If you create something entirely or mostly using GenAI, you CANNOT put a Creative Commons license on it.
• If you create something for which you used Gen AI to create some aspects, such as a clip-art image or you extensively modified an openly licensed image, you can put a Creative Commons license on the overall creation but must indicate what aspects were created with Gen AI and that they are in the Public Domain Be sure to use openly licensed images, etc., that allow for modification and do not limit your ability to change the original license (e.g. you couldn’t use something that has a CC-BY-ND license).

In addition, there are questions you should ask yourself if using Gen AI to create OER or any other learning materials:

1. Does it matter if the output is true?
   1. No. It is safe to use Gen AI.
   2. Yes. Continue to next question.
2. Do you have expertise to verify that the output is accurate?
   1. No. It is unsafe to use Gen AI.
   2. Yes. Continue to next question.
3. Are you able willing to take full responsibility (legal, moral, etc.) for missed inaccuracies?
   1. No. It is unsafe to use Gen AI.
   2. Yes. It’s possible to use Gen AI, but be sure to verify each output word and sentence for accuracy and common sense.

Ways You Might Use GenAI

Here are some ways that generative AI could be used when creating or adapting OER:

• To draft an outline of a chapter or other learning materials
• To analyze a photo to create alt text for accessibility purposes.
• To modify illustrations and photo-realistic images for both decorative and instructional purposes.
• To generate scripts that can be used for videos and podcasts.
• To create instructional videos.
• To analyze and create summaries of longer sections of text.
• To automate the creation of an audio version of text, usually for accessibility purposes.
• To translate text to another language.

Intentional vs. Unintentional Use

With the proliferation of generative AI tools and the continual integration of these tools into other software packages, you may not know that a tool you are using to create learning materials is using generative AI. Therefore, these guidelines are intended to be interpreted with leniency and flexibility to allow for the possibility that generative AI use may not always be visible or apparent to the person who is using a tool.