AI at the Library
The Library supports students, researchers and faculty in using AI critically and responsibly. Our tutorials, workshops and research guides help you assess AI tools, work with scholarly information and evaluate AI-generated content.
This page brings together the Library’s learning opportunities and research support, alongside university guidance on AI use. It also introduces examples of how library staff and students are applying AI in services, learning activities and work with our collections.
Build your AI literacy
Develop your understanding of AI tools and their limitations, with opportunities for self-paced study, practical learning and support for teaching.
SELF-PACED LEARNING
AI Tools for Academic Research
The Library’s mini course takes an information literacy approach to using generative AI. Study modules on tool selection, use and evaluation at your own pace.
WORKSHOPS
Join our workshop
The Researchers’ Series includes workshops on emerging AI tools for literature review. Consult the workshop listing for current topics and registration.
TEACHING SUPPORT
AI literacy in your course
Contact your subject librarian to discuss info and data literacy teaching, including the critical evaluation and responsible use of AI in academic work.
Find your subject librarian
Information and data literacy programme
Use AI in research and learning
Many of the Library’s subscribed databases now include AI features. Scite and Consensus, shown in the cards below, are two key resources powered by AI.
Scite
Consensus
Choosing tools for a literature review
Consult this library guide for an overview of tools, comparisons and teaching materials.
University policies and responsible use
Check the requirements that apply to your course, research and data before using AI. The university sources below provide guidance; the Library’s guides offer further help with scholarly practice and resource use.
University guidance
Responsible use of generative AI in research
The Office of the Vice-President for Research and Development (VPRDO) sets guiding principles for the responsible use of generative AI in research, covering authorship, disclosure, oversight and confidentiality.
Teaching, learning and assessment
The Center for Education Innovation (CEI) provides guidance on generative AI in education and developing course-level policies. Consult your instructor’s requirements for individual assignments.
CEI guidelines and policiesSome CEI materials require an HKUST login.
AI use and data protection
ITSO’s guidance addresses verification, acknowledgement, privacy and security when using generative AI. Refer to it before entering university or personal information into a tool.
Library guides and resource-use rules
Citing and acknowledging AI
Examples and guidance for documenting AI use in academic work. Check any additional course, publisher or funder requirements.
Evaluating AI-generated content
Consider accuracy, evidence and bias, and verify references against the sources themselves.
Responsible use of online resources
Consult the Library’s rules when using subscribed content, including with external AI tools.
Text and data mining
Guidance on mining and reusing subscribed content. Check permissions for your intended use, including model training.
AI in our Library
Library staff and students are examining how AI can support services, learning and access to collections. These examples show different uses of AI, from a public service to development work and exploratory projects.
AI-assisted enquiry service
Library chatbot
Developed with students through DS CoLab, the Library chatbot provides another way to ask questions about library services.
AI-assisted development
Library orientation game
A librarian used AI assistance to develop a Unity game about research decisions and library services. Colleagues and student helpers contributed testing and feedback before its launch for the 2026 semester.
Exploratory student project
Describing historical photographs
DS CoLab Project P002 investigated computer vision and generated descriptions for HKUST Digital Images, exploring ways to enrich image metadata and support discovery.
The Library’s Strategic Priorities 2023–2028 include AI literacy and the use of AI and machine learning in library work.
AI developments and library perspectives
Library news on AI tools, scholarly practice and the use of AI in research and learning. The latest three articles under the topic “AI in Research & Learning” are listed below.
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Research Bridge
Using AI to Create Scientific Figures Responsibly
Scientific figures can take hours to prepare, yet AI tools can produce polished-looking images in seconds. Read this post to learn when AI can help, where it may threaten research integrity, and how publisher policies distinguish concept diagrams, data visualisations, and experimental evidence.
Research Bridge
An Antiquarian's Landscape Painting of Digital Scholarship
What happens when obsolete monitors and floppy disks become archaeological relics? Explore DScape and rethink how physical hardware anchors our evolving relationship with memory and practice, in curating digital scholarship.
Library Stories
Behind the Scenes: How I Made the Library Orientation Games
Game-making librarian Gary takes us behind the scenes of a library orientation games where students have seven days to finish a report. He shares how he built the game with AI, trial and error, and feedback from colleagues and students, making research skills more practical, approachable, and fun to explore.
Discuss your question with us
If you are unsure which resource to use or would like advice for a research or teaching task, we are happy to help.
For your research
Discuss your research question, search approach or use of literature with a librarian.
For your teaching
Contact your subject librarian about learning resources and library teaching support.
For general enquiries
Send us your question, or let us know if a resource on this page needs updating.
