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Use the gallery below to find and access various generative AI tools, separated by content focus and potential uses. Each entry provides a brief summary of the tool and a website link. Clicking on "more..." shows account set-up information, including any differences between paid vs. free versions of the tools. 

Notes regarding the content on this page:

  • Due to the speed with which generative AI tools proliferate, this is not a comprehensive list of all generative AI tools available to the public, nor is it designed to be. It is simply to provide information about relevant generative AI tools.
    • Additionally, many tools listed here can be used in more situations than just the top-line descriptors. Take time to learn what these tools do well, and just as importantly, what they don't do well. 
  • Use this page in combination with the "Considerations and Limitations" page for additional information on the best ways to use these tools and associated ethical considerations. 

Spider AI

Banner image that reads "Spider AI Beta: Learn about a new tool for experimentation in teaching and learning at the University of Richmond".

Overview

Launched in the Fall of 2024, SpiderAI is an initiative stemming from the Faculty Hub's Faculty Learning Community (FLC) on Generative AI. This project represents a partnership between faculty members, the Faculty Hub, and Information Services. Our pilot program aims to provide equitable access to GenAI tools, thereby enhancing digital literacy across our campus.

SpiderAI provides access to frontier generative AI models, including OpenAI's ChatGPT and DALL-E 3, Anthropic's Claude, Google Gemini, and more. Students must be provided access by a faculty member before they can use the tools.

Please note that information classified as classified, restricted, or official-use is not permissible for processing through SpiderAI. This product is currently in Beta and will be receiving updates throughout the semester. For technical issues, please reach out to IS for support. For faculty training on the use of Generative AI, contact the Faculty Hub.

Access

Click on the image above to read more about SpiderAI and access the suite of tools, or copy/paste the following link in your browser: https://genai.richmond.edu/case-studies/spiderai.html

Generative AI Tools

ChatGPT ▼

 

  • Created by OpenAI, this chatbot is designed to interact with users conversationally, answering questions and refining results based on user inputs.

 

 

  • Click here to access ChatGPT
  • Must create an account with email address and/or phone number. The free version runs on GPT-3.5 LLM with a training dataset current up to September 2021. The paid version runs on GPT-4 LLM. Its training dataset is also current up to September 2021, but it can connect to live internet for much more accurate responses than GPT-3.5.
  • You can also access ChatGPT by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://chat.openai.com/auth/login

 

Gemini ▼

 

  • Conversational-style tool developed by Google that can respond to a wide range of user prompts. It runs on Genimi Pro, a version of Google's Gemini LLM.

 

 

  • Click here to access Gemini
  • You must have a Google account in order to access Gemini.
  • You can also access Gemini by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://gemini.google.com/app

 

Bing Chat ▼

 

  • Tool created by Microsoft's AI team designed to answer a wide range of user prompts. It uses OpenAI's GPT-4 LLM, and works best when used in "Creative Mode" (one of three pre-set tones that attempt to balance the accuracy and creativity of its responses).

 

 

  • Click here to access Bing Chat
  • Bing Chat is free, and can be used without a Microsoft account, though creating one allows for longer and more in-depth responses.
  • You can also access Bing Chat by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://www.bing.com/search?q=Bing+AI&showconv=1

 

 

Claude ▼

 

  • A flexible chatbot created by Anthropic that can address a wide range of user prompts. You can upload PDFs and other text files that Claude can summarize, even when using the free version.

 

 

  • Click here to access Claude
  • You must create an account to use Claude, either using a personal email address or your Google account. The free version (Claude Instant) limits you to 30 prompts per day, and you can upload ~5 PDF documents (no larger than 10 megabytes) every four hours. The paid version (Claude 2.0 / 2.1) allows for five times more daily prompts. The pro version is designed mainly for committed Claude users, web developers, and those looking for enterprise-level access.
  • You can also access Claude by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F

 

Perplexity ▼

  • A resource discovery tool that uses gen. AI principles to enhance internet searches. It can provide links to web articles and freely available scholarly articles as citations in its responses to user prompts. Runs on OpenAI's GPT-3.5 and 4 LLM.

  • Click here to access Perplexity

  • Must provide an email address when creating an account. The free version offers unlimited prompts, but only three prompts with attached PDFs per day, and five prompts using its Copilot feature that taps into GPT-4 for far better searches. The paid version (Perplexity Pro) offers unlimited PDF attachments and Copilot searches.

  • You can also access Perplexity by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://www.perplexity.ai/

SciSpace ▼

  • Pitched as an "all-in-one" generative AI tool, SciSpace allows users to search for scholarly articles, annotate and explain uploaded PDFs, and create bibliographies and citations from resource collections.

  • Click here to access SciSpace

  • Must provide an email address when making an account. The free version offers limited access to each of its core tools, while the paid versions (SciSpace Researcher & Team) offer expanded access to those tools.

  • You can also access SciSpace by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://typeset.io/

Elicit ▼

  • Focused on empirical research articles, Elicit allows users to ask general research questions to find related journal articles, or provide a single "seed" paper that can be used to find related resources through keyword/subject term searching. Created by the company Ought, Elicit uses OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.

  • Click here to access Elicit

  • Must provide an email address when making an account. Elicit has a free tier with all the functionality described above, and a paid tier that offers more monthly uses and prioritized customer support.

  • You can also access Elicit by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://elicit.org/

Research Rabbit ▼

  • Tool that allows users to upload journal articles and create a visual map of related papers, based on subject or direct author citation, as a way to aid in the search process, especially for literature reviews. From there, users can create individual collections of related papers.

  • Click here to access Research Rabbit

  • Must provide an email address to create an account. Research Rabbit is currently free with no additional paid tiers.

  • You can also access Research Rabbit by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://www.researchrabbit.ai/

Grammarly ▼

 

  • Tool focused on correcting grammar, offering writing suggestions for tone and style, and providing AI-generate writing prompts for papers, emails, resumes, and more. Grammarly has integrations with Google Docs, Microsoft Office suite products like Word and PowerPoint, and web browsers like Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.

 

 

 

  • Click here to access Grammarly
  • Must provide an email address when creating an account. Grammarly has a free tier with all the functionality described above, and a paid tier that offers more specific grammar recommendations and plagiarism detection.
  • You can also access Grammarly by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://www.grammarly.com/

 

QuillBot ▼

 

  • Text paraphrasing tool that can edit written passages for consistency, tone, and clarity. QuillBot also offers additional tools like plagiarism detection and citation generators.

 

 

 

  • Click here to access QuillBot
  • Must provide an email address when creating an account. QuillBot offers a free tier with all the functionality described above, and a paid tier that offers additional monthly uses and more diverse writing tone recommendations.
  • You can also access QuillBot by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://quillbot.com/

DALL-E 3 ▼

 

  • Created by OpenAI, DALL-E 3 can create images based on natural language text inputs from users in a variety of styles. DALL-E 3 can also edit existing images and create variations on themes presented in original images.

 

 

 

  • Click here to access DALL-E 3
  • Must provide an email address to create an account. DALL-E 3 is built into the functionality of ChatGPT, so accessing ChatGPT will give you access to DALL-E 3 image generation.
  • You can also access DALL-E 3 by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://openai.com/index/dall-e-3

 

Midjourney ▼

 

  • Tool created by Midjourney (also the name for the research lab), giving it a relatively unique, non-OpenAI-based approach to generating images in terms of user accessibility and outputs.

 

 

 

  • Click here to access Midjourney
  • Must provide an email address when creating an account. Currently, Midjourney is only available in paid tiers, with higher tiers offering additional monthly uses and processing speed.
  • You can also access Midjourney by copying/pasting the following link into your web browser: https://www.midjourney.com/

 

Adobe Firefly ▼

 

  • Text-to-image generating tool created by Adobe. Firefly is available both as a standalone tool and as an integrated part of Adobe's other image tools like Photoshop and Illustrator, complete with the ability to edit AI-generated images using Adobe's other products.

 

 

 

 

  • Click here for more information on Adobe Firefly
  • Must provide an email address when making a free account with Adobe for Firefly standalone access. If you have paid access to the Adobe Creative Cloud suite Firefly is available to use through those applications.
  • UR students, staff, and faculty looking to explore Firefly can also do so via the Technology Learning Center. Click here for more information on the TLC, or copy/paste the following link into your web browser: https://spidertechnet.richmond.edu/TDClient/1955/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=113212

 

 

Want to discover other generative AI tools? Use the links below to find additional tools:

Tips for Writing AI Prompts

1. Be Clear and Specific

Adding details and providing contextual information to your prompt will generate more relevant responses. Include outcome, length, format, style, etc. 

Below is an example prompt:

  • Original: "Words like 'climate change'"
  • Refined: "Provide a list of synonyms and keywords that relate to term 'climate change'."

2. Be Direct

Phrase your input as a command rather than a statement or question. To create a command, place an action verb at the front of a sentence. Generative AI tools can more effectively design responses that are clear and direct, so make sure to avoid ambiguous language.

Below is an example prompt:

  • Original: “Could you please tell me what the word potable means?”
  • Refined: “Define ‘potable’ and provide two examples of how to use potable in a sentence. Include a list of industries where the concept of ‘potable’ is applied.

3. Don't Use "Not" or Negative Language

Avoid using language asking the generator not to do an output. Instead, find a way to rephrase your command that specifics exactly what you want it to generate. Using positive instructions will be more effective than negative instructions. 

Below is an example prompt:

  • Original: “What are some plays not written by Shakespeare?”
  • Refined: “Identify a list with brief descriptions of well-known English plays and exclude plays written by William Shakespeare.”

4. Break down complex questions into smaller parts

Below is an example prompt:

  • Original: “What is the population of Sri Lanka? What are the most profitable industries in Sri Lanka? What natural resources are mined in Sri Lanka?”
  • Refined: “Provide the total population and demographic breakdown of religion, ethnic groups, and language of Sri Lanka.”

5. Create a Role or Give an Example

Prompt the generative AI tool to take on a role or provide an example for the generator to mimic. This will allow the tool more direction and generate more specific responses. 

Below is an example prompt:

  • Original: “Give me information about mass conversion around a chemical reaction.”
  • Refined: “Respond to the prompt about mass conversion around a chemical reaction, as an undergraduate chemistry tutor.”

 

Box info from University of Illinois Library guide "Introduction to Generative AI - Effective Prompt Strategies"