Join a week of conversations about the role of AI in the academic mission of WashU and the opportunities it creates for student success, teaching, and new approaches to research. Co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Digital Intelligence & Innovation (DI2) Accelerator, and the Center for Teaching and Learning.
Assembly Series:
Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic
Graduates and AI: Who Wins the Future of Work?
HackWashU AI Build Challenge
March 20-29, 2026
HackWashU AI Build Challenge is a one-week student build event designed to complement WashU’s AI+ Week by giving students the opportunity to actively create with AI tools. Participants will form teams, experiment with APIs and emerging technologies, and develop creative projects with optional mentorship and workshops throughout the week. The challenge will conclude with a public demo showcase where students present their work and connect with peers, faculty, and industry guests.
Skandalaris AI Ideabounce®
Monday, March 23, 2026, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Location TBD
The Skandalaris Center will be hosting Ideabounce®: AI Ideas and More! Open to all schools, there will be pitch prizes and food! If you want to pitch, or just want to attend, please register.
BYOB (Build Your Own Bot)
Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 3:00-4:15 p.m.
Location TBD
Interested in building a custom chatbot but not sure where to start? Join the Center for Teaching and Learning for this hands-on workshop where you will learn to design, build, and deploy your own custom AI chatbot! Beyond course assistants, they’ll discuss how to create role-play conversation partners, scenario simulators, and tutoring agents. Participants should bring a laptop with access to the internet. Though the focus will be on creating Google Gemini for Education’s custom chatbots, Gems, the scaffolding presented will be applicable to any chatbot creator interface.
Introduction to NotebookLM
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Zoom
Did you know that WashU now provides access to NotebookLM? Join the Center for Teaching and Learning for a Zoom workshop designed to help instructors explore potential uses of NotebookLM for the classroom. This hour-long, interactive session will cover how to securely access the tool and demonstrate ways to use NotebookLM to enhance teaching and learning activities. We’ll look at some of NotebookLM’s most popular features, including video and audio overviews, mind maps, and learning guides. Throughout the workshop, participants will be invited to engage and experiment with NotebookLM, discuss their experiences, and brainstorm additional applications with colleagues.
What Do We Do Now? The Evolving Skills for Graduates in a Changing AI World, with The Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Knight Hall 301
Professor Peter Boumgarden hosts Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, to lead a facilitated discussion on shifts in the skills landscape with the rising influence of generative AI.
Closed Session (Students Only)
Graduates and AI: Who Wins the Future of Work?
Assembly Series presents Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 5:00-6:15 p.m. (reception to follow)
Emerson Auditorium, Knight Hall
Artificial intelligence is not a distant disruption—it is already reshaping how we learn, work, hire, and lead. For today’s college students and recent graduates, the stakes could not be higher. As AI systems become embedded in every industry, higher education faces a defining question: How do we prepare graduates not just to survive the future of work, but to lead it? However, there are parts of human intelligence that it can’t reproduce, and it would be wise—especially for young adults—to hone skills in those areas as they are only going to become more valuable.
In this fast-paced, wide-ranging, and highly practical talk, Nicholas Thompson explores the profound implications of AI for universities, employers, and students alike. Drawing on his experience at the forefront of media, technology, and conversations with leaders across the tech C-suite, he unpacks how AI and big data are transforming business strategy, redefining talent pipelines, and altering what employers truly value.
Faculty Breakfast: Nurturing Critical Skills in our Undergraduates in the Face of AI
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 8:00-9:30 a.m.
Clark-Fox Forum, Hillman Hall
Vice Provost Jen Smith reflects on the critical skills to develop in undergraduates in this idea-sharing session with Danforth faculty colleagues, addressing how to foster these important skills as AI influences the landscape of our classrooms.
Student/Faculty Perspectives Lunch
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Clark-Fox Forum, Hillman Hall
Details forthcoming.
Coffee, Tea & ChatGPT: Review of What We Know about AI and Learning So Far
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Seigle Hall 301
Come enjoy coffee, tea, and snacks with a side of research into AI’s impact on learning. While the internet is full of writing about AI, the pool of peer-reviewed, evidence-based research is much smaller. In this session, the Center for Teaching and Learning provides an overview of and commentary on what we really know about AI. We will explore both possibilities and concerns that emerge from the data and end with a discussion of how this information might shape our future pedagogical strategies.
Commit to Submit: AI Curriculum Corps
Friday, March 27, 2026, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Location TBD
Interested in submitting an application for the AI Curriculum Corps? Have questions about the process? Have an idea but need to talk it through? Or maybe you simply want company while you submit your application? Whatever your reason, please join the Center for Teaching and Learning for a session to support the AI Curriculum Corps application process—from brainstorming to submission. Staff from the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Digital Intelligence and Innovation (DI2) Accelerator will be on hand for questions and guidance. The application deadline for the AI Curriculum Corps is April 6, 2026.
HackWashU AI Build Challenge Finals
Sunday, March 29, 2026, Time TBD
Location TBD