Are universities helping students to navigate an AI world? Every day, we hear versions of this question. And it’s crucial for institutions like FSU – mission-driven universities prioritizing student career readiness and environmental stewardship – to answer. 

For FSU the answer is definitively yes. 

Let’s talk about how we’re doing it.

To start, every section of our first-year student experience course RAMS 101 includes a dedicated module on responsible and ethical use of AI. This positions our students to start their college journeys on solid footing around this technology. 

Next, numerous FSU professors have revised their courses to incorporate curriculum relevant to AI. This includes updates to many of our general education courses which continue solidifying the footing of large numbers of our students. It also includes major-specific courses, which are crucial to helping students learn about AI in contexts that position them for success in their disciplines and future careers. 

Given the energy demands of AI, how does FSU balance this integration of AI with its commitment to environmental stewardship? The answer is balance. Most courses that have integrated AI have done so with an eye toward efficient prompt crafting (AKA, prompt engineering) to reduce the number of queries required to obtain a desired result, which reduces the energy consumption of each project. Some courses that include AI-focused curriculum do so with a healthy skepticism, working to help students to understand the local-to-global consequences of AI (over)use. And many of our courses simply do not integrate AI, focusing instead on other learning strategies. This balance ensures that students are also prepared not to use AI when appropriate. 

What about concerns around academic honesty? Many students worry about being accused of cheating with AI, whether or not they’ve actually done so. To address this, numerous faculty members include clear statements in their syllabi and assignments about acceptable use of AI. We anticipate more and more faculty members will do this as we provide more support and resources. 

To this end, FSU is working hard to support faculty as they work to adapt their teaching. This includes focused support for RAMS 101 instructors and other faculty groups working together to undertake course revisions following research-informed bast practices. (Hat-tip to FSU’s Academic Affairs Division, Center for Digital Humanities, CELTSS, Educational Technology Office within the Information Technology Services Division, and others who are leading and supporting these initiatives.) 

These are just a few of the many ways FSU is leading when it comes to AI as we seek to prepare our students for an ever-changing world. In the words of President Niemi, “Let’s go!”