IU Today is checking in with staff and faculty to learn how they have successfully used artificial intelligence tools in their work, research and teaching. We recently caught up with Sébastien Laulhé, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology in the IU School of Science at IU Indianapolis.

He’s currently participating in the GenAI faculty workshop to learn about AI and its uses. Laulhé said he’s slowly applying AI to his work but thinks it’ll be more useful as he learns more.

Question: How have you used AI to accomplish tasks that aid your work and research, and what benefits have you seen?

Sébastien Laulhé. Photo by the School of Science, IU Indianapolis Answer: I have used AI to help with the drafting of committee agendas and schedules. In my prompt, I provide specific details such as the length of the meeting, things to discuss and who the target audience is. With this information, the AI tool (I use Gemini or Chat GPT) provides a good draft and format from which I can add or remove items.

On the research side, I have tested the use of AI to review my manuscripts. I ask the GenAI to review a manuscript that I plan to submit to a specific journal, and I ask for feedback or things that reviewers may point out. I have done the same thing with my proposals, and I was surprised by how insightful AI can be with weaknesses in my research ideas or with the approach.

I caution everyone to be sure to use the IU-approved Gemini or Chat GPT login to avoid your manuscripts and proposals being used by Google and OpenAI for their training.

Q: What have you learned about using AI that made it easier, more helpful or more targeted for your specific need?

A: I’ve been very surprised by how good the feedback I have received from these tools on my manuscripts and proposals has been. I was not expecting this. I have come to realize that before asking a colleague to provide feedback on my proposals and manuscripts, I should first ask AI, make the changes and then provide a more cohesive version to a colleague.

Q: What is one tip you’d share with a colleague about using AI tools?

A: The hardest thing about using AI is creating a good prompt. It is important to be very specific and take the time to write a long and detailed prompt (prompt engineering). My recommendation is to use one of the following methods or a combination of both:

• ROCKiT method (Role, objective, context, knowledge/information and task): Here you give the AI a role (ex: “You are a reviewer for [Journal]”) and then you detail context and other elements that will give the AI enough background to accomplish the task you ask for.
• The Socratic method: Ask the AI to guide you step by step through the review process. Here you tell the AI to ask you questions about the task you want it to accomplish. You’ll be surprised by how good AI is at asking pertinent questions about what you want to accomplish.

Note: IU offers a free AI course to staff, faculty, students and alumni to help them understand the tools available and how to use them.