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Stony Brook University

Artificial Intelligence in the Health Sciences

This guide covers artificial intelligence tools, resources and strategies that are relevant to the field of health sciences.

Large Language Models

Large language models (LLMs) generate text, images and videos via a prompt from the user. They accomplish this by drawing from large amounts of existing information. Sometimes the LLMs will incorporate the information from prompts into their datasets to be used in the future. This is why you should be careful about entering personal or private information into these platforms, including protected health information.

LLMs can assist with various research tasks, including generating ideas, summarizing information, explaining complex concepts, and even drafting text. It is useful for brainstorming research topics, refining search queries, and understanding academic concepts.

However, while LLMs provide quick and informative responses, they are not a substitute for scholarly sources. They do not necessarily have direct access to academic databases or the latest peer-reviewed research. Always verify information from authoritative sources such as books, journals, and reputable websites, especially for health information.

Some popular LLMs include OpenAI's ChatGPT & Dall-E, Google Gemini, Anthropic's Claude and Meta's Llama 3.