TLDR
- Arizona State University is partnering with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into teaching, research and operations. By doing so, it sets a new precedent for higher education.
- The initiative resulted in more than 200 projects across the university that could impact its 181,000 students.
- Projects range from AI-driven behavioral health training to enhanced scholarly writing support.
Schools have had a love-hate relationship with generative AI. While believing it can raise efficiency and productivity and spark creativity, educators also feared students would use it as a crutch instead of learning how to think for themselves.
But Arizona State University (ASU) is going all in on AI, setting a new precedent for universities worldwide by demonstrating how AI can enhance learning, creativity, and student outcomes while maintaining a commitment to responsible technology use.
ASU is integrating ChatGPT into its teaching, research, and operations. This initiative has resulted in the creation of over 200 projects across the university and is set to transform the learning experience for its 181,000 students.
In a partnership with OpenAI, the university launched its AI Innovation Challenge in February 2024, inviting faculty and staff to propose ways to integrate ChatGPT into their work. ASU said within weeks, it received 400 proposals representing over 80% of ASU’s schools and colleges.
“We thought we’d get a few early adopters,” says Lev Gonick, ASU’s chief information officer, in an OpenAI blog post. “Our few adopters quickly became hundreds of faculty interested in using ChatGPT for research and in the classroom.”
Preparing students for an AI-driven future
Projects range from AI-driven behavioral health training to enhanced scholarly writing support. For instance, ‘Sam,’ a ChatGPT-powered chatbot, helps students in the College of Health Solutions practice patient-provider interactions. In research, a doctorate candidate is exploring how ChatGPT can support effective and ethical participant recruitment.
ASU is prioritizing privacy and security in its AI implementation. The university is using ChatGPT Edu, a version designed specifically for educational institutions, to protect student privacy and intellectual property. Regular meetings among practitioners across disciplines ensure the responsible and ethical use of AI in higher education.
“We are convinced that training students to use AI is essential for their future workforce success,” says Anne Jones, vice provost for undergraduate education. In response to the growing importance of AI, ASU has introduced new degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels focused on AI aptitude.
