In this live episode of AI for U, recorded at the 2024 HighEdWeb Conference, Brian interviews Tina Miller from Arizona State University (ASU). Tina shares exciting insights about ASU’s partnership with OpenAI and how they are using ChatGPT to drive innovation across the university. With over 500 proposals submitted and 250 projects actively using ChatGPT, ASU is pushing the boundaries of AI integration in higher education.

Key Takeaways:

• ASU partnered with OpenAI to explore impactful uses of ChatGPT across teaching, research, and operations.
• Over 500 proposals were submitted, with 250 projects currently active.
• Projects are focused on student success, societal research, and business operations, ensuring measurable outcomes.
• Institutions starting with AI should build literacy, form a committee, and adopt digital trust guidelines to explore AI's potential.

‍What is ASU doing with AI, and how did the partnership with OpenAI come about?
Tina shared that Arizona State University partnered with OpenAI to explore innovative ways to use ChatGPT to enhance higher education. OpenAI approached ASU to help them understand how ChatGPT could make an impact, and the university launched an innovation challenge to test various use cases. Faculty, staff, and researchers were invited to submit proposals in three areas: teaching and student success, societal research, and business operations. In exchange for access to ChatGPT licenses, participants were required to measure and report the impact of their projects. Since launching the challenge, ASU has approved over 250 projects, demonstrating a wide variety of applications for AI in higher ed.

Can you provide examples of successful projects?
One standout project Tina highlighted was a "language buddy" developed by an assistant professor for her German language students. The AI-powered bot allowed students to practice German in real-time, simulating conversational scenarios and helping students improve comprehension. Due to its success, the project is now evolving into an intermediate level, demonstrating how scalable these AI solutions can be. Tina believes projects like this have the potential to expand far beyond the classroom and could be implemented for larger student communities or even broader applications like travel preparation.

How can institutions without ASU's resources get started with AI?
For schools just beginning their AI journey, Tina recommends starting with small steps. Forming an AI committee and setting up digital trust guidelines is essential. Institutions should first focus on AI literacy, understanding the tools and identifying relevant use cases that can provide measurable results. Attending conferences and networking with other higher ed professionals is another great way to gather insights and build momentum for AI adoption. Even without the vast resources of a school like ASU, smaller institutions can experiment and gradually integrate AI into their administrative and academic workflows.

To learn more about how AI is transforming higher education and to hear more about ASU’s cutting-edge initiatives, be sure to check out the full episode. Subscribe to AI for U to stay up to date on the latest developments in AI for higher ed!

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