Welcome to Making Sense of AI in the Research Process: A Library Introduction. This online series is led by University of Toronto librarians, providing an open and judgment-free space for learners of all levels to build or refresh their understanding of AI tools and their use in academic research.

You can attend workshops individually or as a complete series. Take a look at the full series of workshops here and choose the sessions that best meet your learning needs.

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Session 2: AI Inside the Database: Exploring AI as a Search Tool

Searching for credible and relevant sources for your coursework, assignments, and research projects is a core part of your role as a university student. This session will introduce you to database-embedded AI search tools available through the University of Toronto Library.

Academic article databases are one of the most widely used and valuable tools for your research process. Some databases now incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, offering new ways to find and interact with scholarly information. To use these tools critically and effectively, you need to understand how they work, and how they can influence your search results.

With hands-on activities, you will practice searching in the interdisciplinary database, Web of Science, exploring two different AI integration strategies. By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Describe what an academic article database is

Define terminology commonly used to describe how AI tools search for and provide information (such as “generation”, “retrieval” and “RAG”)

Understand how AI is being embedded into academic databases, comparing the search mechanics and risks to non-database AI tools like ChatGPT

Begin to develop an ethical framework for AI use in your searching, recognizing AI’s ability to enhance or disrupt your research process and your long-term learning

Session Logistics

This session is designed for anyone interested in developing or refreshing their understanding of AI. All learning levels are welcome!

Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 12:00 noon - 1:00pm
Location: Online (Zoom link will be sent upon registration)

If you have any questions or accessibility needs, please contact Joanna Szurmak at joanna.szurmak@utoronto.ca with as much advanced notice as possible.

AI Inside the Database: Exploring AI as a Search Tool

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