Ohio State launches bold AI Fluency initiative to redefine learning and innovation

Ohio State launches bold AI Fluency initiative to redefine learning and innovation

Initiative will embed AI into core undergraduate requirements and majors, ensuring all students graduate equipped to apply AI tools and applications in their fields

With artificial intelligence poised to reshape the future of learning and work, The Ohio State University announced today an ambitious new initiative to ensure that every student will graduate with the AI proficiencies necessary to compete and lead now.

Launching this fall for first-year students, Ohio State's AI Fluency initiative will embed AI education into the core of every undergraduate curriculum, equipping students with the ability to not only use AI tools, but to understand, question and innovate with them - no matter their major.

The result will be graduates who not only have technical AI skills but also a rich understanding of how the ethical, secure use of AI tools can be harnessed for good across disciplines, whether health care, computer science, agriculture or the humanities. Beginning with the Class of 2029, every Buckeye graduate will be fluent in AI and how it can be responsibly applied to advance their field.

"Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we live, work, teach and learn. In the not-so-distant future, every job, in every industry, is going to be impacted in some way by AI," said Ohio State President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. "Ohio State has an opportunity and responsibility to prepare students to not just keep up, but lead in this workforce of the future. I'm so pleased that we are taking this bold step forward to set our students up for success and keep Ohio competitive for the long term. We have a strong foundation on which to build, and the AI Fluency initiative will only accelerate our momentum in mission-driven AI research and education."

AI is a key priority of the Education for Citizenship 2035 strategic plan Carter is developing. The plan aims to redefine the future of higher education, with a focus on academic excellence and a spirit of adaptability and innovation across the institution to meet the needs of the next generation.

AI Fluency for every student

AI literacy and experiential learning will become foundational expectations for all undergraduate students, regardless of major. Initial steps will begin in autumn 2025:

• All undergraduates will be introduced to generative AI basics in the required General Education Launch Seminar.
• GenAI workshops will be integrated into the First Year Success Series, part of the university's required survey course that helps students acclimate to college life. Additional workshops will be offered to equip students at all levels with experience in AI tools and applications.
• The new "Unlocking Generative AI" course will be offered and open to all majors. Students will gain essential skills to interact effectively with AI, craft prompts that inspire creativity and explore AI's impact on society.

"Through AI Fluency, Ohio State students will be 'bilingual' - fluent in both their major field of study and the application of AI in that area," said Ravi V. Bellamkonda, executive vice president and provost. "Grounded with a strong sense of responsibility and possibility, we will prepare Ohio State's students to harness the power of AI and to lead in shaping its future of their area of study."

Incorporating AI into General Education will ensure students in all fields build a foundational understanding of AI's impact and ethical considerations. Ohio State's colleges will be critical partners in integrating AI Fluency across the university's programs and courses, as they will expand their existing AI-focused offerings that enable students to build advanced skills and critical thinking across disciplines. Colleges will also have opportunities to infuse AI into courses and programs serving graduate and professional students.

Empowering faculty and instructors

AI Fluency will support Ohio State's faculty and instructors as they innovate and integrate AI tools and applications into their classrooms and learning spaces. To do so, the university will increase resources and support for instructors to build and modify courses to enable deep and thoughtful integration of AI into degree pathways and allow for every discipline to benefit from AI-augmented courses.

The Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning will expand its resources to help faculty integrate AI into their teaching, including launching a fund providing financial and advisory instructor support. Additional details on the fund and an initial request for proposals will be available at the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year. Expertise from the Center for Software Innovation and other Ohio State units will also ensure this effort can be led at scale.

The initiative will also support faculty in navigating practical questions about the future of learning, including the ethical and responsible use of AI in the classroom, as well as the evolution of student exams and assessments in an AI-driven world.

AI Fluency builds on the existing strength and distinction of Ohio State's faculty, who are driving the future of AI research, development and discovery to improve people's lives today and build a brighter future.

"Ohio State's faculty have long been pioneers in exploring the transformative potential of AI, driving innovation both in research and education," said Peter Mohler, executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge. "Our university is leading the way in a multidisciplinary approach to harnessing AI's benefits, significantly shaping the future of learning and discovery."

AI at the core of student innovation

Ohio State will empower all students - undergraduate, graduate and professional - to be entrepreneurial through hands-on experiences and real-world applications. Initiatives in development include AI-driven hackathons, programs for gaining work experience and hands-on workshops for building and prototyping products. The Center for Software Innovation and other university centers of expertise will collaborate with Ohio State's faculty to help develop custom AI content across fields of study. Specific details will be available in the months ahead.

By integrating AI education across the curriculum, Ohio State will prepare the next generation to be not just consumers of AI technology, but also creators and innovators, ensuring they are well positioned to contribute to and lead in the AI-driven economy.

Learn more at oaa.osu.edu/ai-fluency.

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