A study note on MS copilot and poe.com as AI tools to support dissertation proposal formulation

A study note on MS copilot and poe.com as AI tools to support dissertation proposal formulation (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "On the task of making dissertation proposals based on a university student's research ideas and concerns, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the AI tools of MS copilot and Poe.com?"

The reply: "When it comes to assisting university students in making dissertation proposals based on their research ideas and concerns, both Microsoft Copilot and Poe.com offer AI-powered support but differ in their strengths and weaknesses.

Microsoft Copilot

Strengths:

• Research Assistance and Content Generation: Copilot can help students build clear, well-structured outlines tailored to their specific research topics by accessing a vast database of academic sources and web content. It can quickly find relevant papers, articles, and provide definitions or explanations for unfamiliar terms, which streamlines the initial stages of proposal writing12.

• Writing Enhancement: It improves writing quality by checking grammar, style, and coherence, offering suggestions to enhance clarity and tone. This helps students produce polished drafts and overcome writer’s block by generating ideas and content expansions3.

• Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: Copilot is embedded within widely used Microsoft applications (Word, Outlook, Edge, Teams), making it convenient for students already familiar with these tools to incorporate AI assistance seamlessly into their workflow3.

• Customization and Feedback Learning: It adapts to the user’s writing style and can generate personalized outputs such as quizzes or case studies related to the research topic, which can support deeper engagement with the subject matter2.

Weaknesses:

• Privacy and Data Security Concerns: Copilot requires access to potentially sensitive data within Microsoft 365 environments. There are documented risks regarding oversharing and excessive data access permissions that could compromise user privacy, especially in academic settings where student data confidentiality is critical45.

• Accuracy and Completeness Issues: Copilot may not always provide fully accurate or complete information, particularly on complex or specialized queries, which means students must critically evaluate and verify AI-generated content5.

• Dependency and Skill Erosion: Heavy reliance on Copilot might diminish students’ manual research and critical thinking skills over time, as the AI handles much of the data analysis and content generation6.

• Cost and Accessibility: Copilot’s advanced features come at a cost that might be a barrier for some students or smaller institutions6.

• Integration Limitations: While strong within Microsoft products, Copilot may face challenges integrating smoothly with non-Microsoft tools students might use6.

• Internet Dependency: Copilot requires stable internet connectivity to function optimally, which could be a limitation in certain environments6.

Poe.com

The search results do not provide detailed information specifically about Poe.com’s capabilities or limitations in the context of dissertation proposal writing. However, based on general knowledge:

Strengths:

• Poe.com is a platform that aggregates multiple AI chatbots and models, providing users with access to diverse AI perspectives and tools in one place, which can be useful for brainstorming and exploring different angles of research ideas.

• It can facilitate interactive, conversational engagement with AI, helping students clarify their research questions and receive iterative feedback.

Weaknesses:

• Poe.com may lack deep integration with academic databases or specialized research tools compared to Microsoft Copilot, potentially limiting its ability to source and summarize scholarly literature effectively.

• The quality and reliability of responses can vary depending on the underlying AI models used, requiring careful user judgment.

• It might not offer the same level of writing assistance features (grammar checks, style improvements) integrated within a word processor environment.

In conclusion, Microsoft Copilot offers a robust, integrated AI assistant well-suited for structuring and refining dissertation proposals, with strong research and writing support but notable privacy and dependency concerns. Poe.com provides a flexible conversational AI environment useful for idea generation and iterative exploration but may lack the specialized academic and writing tools that Copilot offers. Students should weigh these factors based on their specific needs, technical environment, and privacy considerations."

Reference: 

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.