Different AI models have their own distinct “personalities.” Because of how they are trained and set up, each tool has a unique style. Some models default to a brief, matter-of-fact tone that is great for data analysis or administrative tasks. Others lean toward a conversational, back-and-forth style that works better for brainstorming or teaching support.
As you explore the options below, consider both the technical requirements of your task and the specific behavioral style that aligns with your goals.
AI for Clarkies
AI Available for Purchase
The following AI services are available for Clark faculty or staff to purchase via ITS. Purchasing these services through ITS allows you to benefit from single sign-on (SSO), streamlined institutional billing, negotiated contractual terms, and technical support.
Additionally, opting for campus-vetted procurement ensures that your tool usage aligns with university data security and privacy standards, protecting sensitive institutional and student information from the day you log in.
Other Tools
The wider AI landscape features thousands of specialized commercial platforms.
The categories below highlight a few popular external tools that Clark community members can explore to build their digital literacy. Please note that these third-party platforms are not approved for use with confidential and restricted university data; any experimentation should be limited to public, non-confidential information.
Important Considerations
Before exploring any third-party AI platform, it is essential to look closely at the hidden costs and risks. Unlike Clark’s officially approved and secure tools, external platforms generally operate under a different set of rules. Keep these three factors in mind whenever trying a new tool:
- Information Reliability: AI models are prone to “hallucinations,” generating facts, citations, or examples that sound completely authentic but are entirely fabricated. Always cross-reference and verify any factual claims, data analysis, or historical information produced by an external tool before relying on it.
- Data Privacy & Ownership: If a tool is free, your data is often the payment. Most public AI models use the text, documents, images, and code you upload to train their future algorithms. Never upload private records, proprietary research, financial information, or sensitive personal information to unapproved external tools. Also, be aware that many “always on” applications, such as Grammarly, will have access to everything that you type, and access. Finally, some tools ask for access to your online or physical storage – we do not recommend allowing AI tools to have unlimited access to your information.
- Ethical & Responsible Practice: We encourage you to experiment with new technologies, but it’s important to be thoughtful about their boundaries and impact. Before using any external tool for coursework, institutional operations, or research, be sure to review our dedicated Ethical and Responsible Use section to understand boundaries around plagiarism, algorithmic bias, and fair attribution on campus.
Writing & Editing
This category includes general conversational models and deeply integrated writing assistants. They are built to assist with the structure, style, and tone of written communication, making them helpful for initial brainstorming, drafting templates, formatting prose, and refining structural outlines.
- Grammarly (GrammarlyGO): A deeply integrated writing assistant that uses generative AI to instantly rewrite paragraphs, adjust tone, and brainstorm outlines right inside your browser, email, or word processor as you type. (External Site)
- ChatGPT (OpenAI): A widely used general-purpose conversational model excellent for formatting text, drafting rough templates, translating languages, and early-stage brainstorming. (External Site)
Research & Information Discovery
Tools in this category focus on conversational search, data tracking, and managing information. Rather than taking shortcuts, these platforms help users navigate vast amounts of information by summarizing long texts, finding live web sources, and organizing specific sets of research materials.
If using non-approved tools for grant-funded research, please review your grant restrictions carefully to ensure that you are meeting all compliance requirements.
- Perplexity: A conversational search engine that combines AI with live web browsing, providing direct answers to complex questions along with inline citations to verify sources. (External Site)
- NotebookLM (Google): A personalized AI research assistant that only interacts with documents you upload (like notes, PDFs, or articles), allowing you to summarize, search, and map your own trusted materials safely. (External Site)
Creative Media & Design
These creative platforms move beyond text to generate and edit multimedia assets. They are widely used across industries for building digital art, generating realistic audio files, modifying visual layouts, and speeding up video editing workflows.
- Canva: A graphic design platform that has integrated AI features for automated layout design, quick image editing, and asset generation. (External Site)
- Midjourney: A highly popular tool built into Discord that specializes in generating detailed, artistic, and stylistic digital imagery from text prompts. (External Site)
- Adobe Express: Available to all Clarkies, Adobe’s web-based platform is designed for fast, template-driven graphics, short-form video, and PDF editing. Powered by Adobe Firefly, it allows users to quickly generate visual designs and polished content. (External Site)
- ElevenLabs: A leading platform for audio production, known for realistic text-to-speech generation, voice cloning, and precise audio dubbing. (External Site)
AI Task Force
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AI Disclosure: This website was drafted with generative AI assistance (Gemini and Copilot) to refine language and expand perspectives. All final content, values, and conclusions reflect human professional judgment in alignment with Clark’s principles of responsible and transparent AI use.
