The new video display scoreboard in Tiger Stadium’s north side as seen from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Sept. 13, 2024. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator)
LSU has launched a new artificial intelligence assistant for its faculty and staff.
The system is called MikeGPT and is designed to quickly answer LSU-related questions and serve as a secure alternative to ChatGPT.
The program was developed by Provost Roy Haggerty and a team of LSU faculty and students who have worked on the project for several semesters.
“As one of the few institutions to develop an AI assistant like MikeGPT, LSU is leading the way in integrating advanced technology into our academic and administrative frameworks,” Haggerty said in an announcement. “This launch of MikeGPT not only reflects our dedication to innovation but also our commitment to providing faculty and staff tools to make your work easier and faster.”
A user guide for the program comes with a warning that MikeGPT might occasionally produce incorrect information and that its output should be verified. Critics have noted that the widespread use of artificial intelligence has produced a boom in misinformation.
Haggerty has been particularly interested in artificial intelligence. He teaches a course on the topic, in which students are trained in its use, and has championed adding goals related to artificial intelligence to the university’s strategic framework.
At the same time as LSU and other universities have embraced artificial intelligence, students are increasingly facing scrutiny and punishment for its suspected use. LSU does not have a universal policy on artificial intelligence use for its students.
The program, named after LSU’s live tiger mascot, is only available to faculty and students.
MikeGPT’s database doesn’t include information from its athletics programs, the LSU Foundation or the Tiger Athletic Foundation. Archived dissertations, the Louisiana Law Review, University High School and some LSU Library content is also excluded. Other non-LSU information may also be absent from its database, according to its user guide.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE