Large language model based artificial intelligence is not only being used to generate text and images for users, but it is also being integrated into research tools to help researchers locate and evaluate sources. Tools like Elicit, SciSpace, Perplexity, and Semantic Scholar allow you to conduct a simple literature review on a given topic using natural language searching. Many of these tools include additional features, such as text analysis and comparison.

Pros:

• You typically can search using natural language rather than keywords or key phrases
• Transparency of sources - no need to wonder where the information came from
• May be able to engage in textual analysis/comparisons

Cons:

• You may not be able to access all the resources in your output
• The humanities may not be well represented
• Some tools may have minimal filters or advanced search capabilities
• The research tool/service may require a paid subscription

Remember, before using an AI-powered research tool you may want to evaluate it using the POTATO test to understand how the tool fits in to the larger research context.

When using AI-powered research tools, you will probably notice that you cannot access all the articles your query returns. Some may be open access, while others may be unavailable without a subscription to the journal in which the article was published. This is where Fleet Library comes in.

To see if you have access to an article with your RISD credentials, try searching for the article using Fleet Search. Most of the databases and journals we subscribe to are included here.

If the article appears in your Fleet Search results, but the HTML or PDF full text is not available, you can order the article from another library using Interlibrary Loan. Alternately, you can see if Brown has it and use one of their guest computers to read the article if they do.