Generative AI Research Tools
New generative AI research products appear frequently. Provided below are curated lists and notes on several tools available through Robertson Library and UPEI. Note that if you're planning to use an AI tool in a course, you should talk to your instructor first and describe the tool and your intended use.
Curated lists of tools
- AI Research Tools
Georgetown University Library - GenAI Product Tracker
Ithaka S+R | broader, filterable product list - Academic AI Search Tools for the Health Sciences
University of Toronto Libraries
Tools at Robertson Library and UPEI
Some library databases offer AI-assisted features, but Robertson Library does not subscribe to every AI research product. Access and features may also differ by account type.
OneSearch and EBSCO databases: AI-Assisted Search
OneSearch and other databases on the EBSCO platform (including ERIC, CAB, PsycINFO, and CINAHL) offer an optional AI-Assisted Search mode. This feature was formerly called Natural Language Search.
Instead of matching only the words you enter, AI-Assisted Search sends the query through Claude Haiku 4.5 with instructions to create a Boolean database search. This allows you to begin with a sentence, phrase, or concept rather than a fully structured query using AND, OR, and NOT.
Be sure to save a useful refined query, as this feature does not support follow-up prompts or direct editing of the refined query, and the same natural-language request may produce a different Boolean search on another day.
How to use it
- Turn on AI-Assisted Search using the slider below the search box on the results page.
- After the search runs, select Show refined query to see the Boolean search used by the database.
- To fine-tune it, copy the refined search, turn off AI-Assisted Search, paste the query into the search box, and edit it by hand.
UPEI account-based tools
Grammarly
Robertson Library currently has Grammarly’s generative AI features turned off. If an instructor says Grammarly is permitted, they likely mean this UPEI version without the generative AI options unless they specify otherwise.
A Pro account created with a UPEI email address will not include the Grammarly generative AI tools. You may keep a separate, non-school Grammarly account if you prefer access to those features.
Microsoft Copilot
UPEI faculty, staff, and some (but not all) students have access to the enterprise version of Microsoft Copilot. Students can review UPEI Copilot access information to find out whether their account is eligible.
The enterprise version is integrated with UPEI accounts, protected by Enterprise Data Protection, and is not used to train Microsoft’s foundational model. For UPEI work, access it at m365.cloud.microsoft/chat and sign in with your UPEI credentials.
Not every Copilot is the UPEI enterprise version. Use the UPEI access link above and sign in with your UPEI account. Even in the enterprise version, do not enter anyone’s personal information, intellectual property, or copyrighted material.
Copilot saves prompts and responses in your history. You can adjust the corresponding setting under Personalization or clear your history under Privacy.
Tool features and access arrangements can change often. Recheck the linked UPEI and provider information if a screen or option differs from the description above.