Artificial Intelligence

While computational methods known as artificial intelligence have contributed to scientific advances for decades, the emergence of generative AI over the past few years has dramatically changed how knowledge is created, analyzed, and applied across disciplines. WashU+AI is an evolving initiative that ensures WashU students, faculty, and staff have access to appropriate tools and shared learning resources, so AI can be used thoughtfully, responsibly, and effectively in support of teaching, learning, and research, rather than in ad hoc or unproductive ways.

WashU+AI is an academic initiative lead by Provost Mark D. West and grounded in faculty leadership, including Assistant Vice Provosts for Digital Transformation Betsy Sinclair and Nathan Jacobs, as well as Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives Jen Smith, and Assistant Vice Provost Peter Boumgarden.

The faculty leads rely on the domain expertise of important university partners in WashU Information Technology, the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Digital Intelligence & Innovation (DI2) Accelerator, and WashU Libraries. Opportunities to provide feedback and to inform the direction of future tools and resources in your school will be announced in the coming months.

This is a phased rollout, starting with a limited set of tools and learning resources focused on undergraduates and faculty on the Danforth campus. Different data protections and requirements on the medical campus necessitate more specialized AI tools, which will be introduced in future phases.

The phased rollout ensures we can test, learn, and refine our approach based on student and faculty feedback, while remaining academically and fiscally responsible. Additional tools, programs, and opportunities will be introduced over time, including programs in support of advancing research across disciplines.

No single AI tool works equally well across disciplines or use cases. WashU’s approach is to provide multiple options to meet differing needs, encourage experimentation, and retain flexibility as technologies change. Additional tool options will be added in future phases.

This initiative provides students with the tools and educational resources to develop a shared, foundational understanding of emerging digital technologies while thoughtfully balancing the use of new tools with the human-centered learning, relationships, and direct engagement with scholarship that define a meaningful WashU education. 

Rather than promoting AI use for its own sake, we encourage students to critically evaluate and responsibly apply emerging technologies in ways that support both academic rigor and long-term preparedness in their chosen fields. 

This initiative is designed to evolve. Tool offerings, learning materials, and research programs will be reviewed and updated regularly based on:

• Technological advances
• Faculty and student feedback
• Instructional and research needs
• Ethical and policy considerations

Feedback from the WashU community is essential to shaping what comes next. To provide anonymous feedback, please complete this form.