OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
NOVEMBER 2025
AI’s growing impact in education, business focus of Ohio State conference
More than 200 academic researchers and business professionals from across the country converged on Ohio State’s Columbus campus for the inaugural AI Business Conference in October. The theme of the two-day event was “Human-in-the-Loop AI: Enabling Responsible and Impactful Human-AI Collaboration.”
Register for the AI Fluency Forum
A limited number of seats are still available for the AI Fluency Forum on Nov. 12 at the Ohio Union Performance Hall. Throughout the day, attendees will see tangible demonstrations and presentations from faculty on:
- Teaching in AI: Teaching AI and its field applications
- Utilizing AI for Research: Applying AI in research, including ways it can inform the classroom
- Discussion of key topics including: AI Fluency plan, a panel on responsibility and AI, and a preview of the AI(x) Hub
Ohio State to hire 100 new faculty with AI expertise
The university has announced a major Artificial Intelligence Faculty Hiring Initiative that will add 100 new tenure-track faculty with expertise in AI over the next five years. The initiative will expand AI research and education across disciplines and strengthen Ohio State’s position as a national and global leader in AI-driven discovery and societal impact.
AI in the Classroom Q&A: Rebecca Garabed
“One ethical principle my students learn about is 'skill erosion,' the loss of critical thinking and creativity from simply reading the screen. These skills are essential for applying AI in veterinary practice,” said Rebecca Garabed, professor and assistant dean for graduate studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "I want to train students to recognize when to trust the AI and when not to, and how to use it to improve their practice."
AI Fluency Faculty Advisory Council announced
To help guide the ongoing implementation of The Ohio State University’s AI Fluency initiative, the Office of Academic Affairs has established an AI Fluency Faculty Advisory Council, which will play an active role in shaping the university-wide rollout of AI Fluency. The council brings together faculty from across colleges and campuses whose expertise spans a wide range of disciplines.
Meet the AI Fluency Faculty Advisory Council
AI workshop supports first-year students
As part of the AI Fluency initiative, the university is offering an AI workshop to students through the First Year Success Series. Designed to give first-year students the opportunity to explore the functions of AI, the workshop also helps them consider how to incorporate AI into their academic experience at Ohio State.
AI safety research attracts funding from Open Philanthropy
Computer Science and Engineering Associate Professor Huan Sun has been awarded two competitive research grants from Open Philanthropy focused on the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) safety.
AI Highlights
- "Now at Ohio State" podcast: Smarter networks and safer futures with AI
- On AI, Ohio State goes for bold
- Ohio State Marion hosts community discussion on role of AI at work and school
- Provost Bellamkonda quoted in "Nature" article on universities and AI
- College of Arts and Sciences holds faculty AI Summit
Opportunities
New Incentive for the AI Fluency Teaching Endorsement
There is now a new professional development incentive for earning the Teaching and Learning to Build AI Fluency teaching endorsement. This recently launched endorsement, which is open to all who teach and support instruction at Ohio State, helps educators understand AI and support students’ AI fluency through teaching.
Faculty and staff who earn the endorsement between December 2025 and August 2027 will be eligible to receive a $300 professional development incentive. Graduate students who earn the endorsement may be eligible for a transcript milestone recognizing their achievement.
Learn More and Enroll in the Endorsement
AI in Business Writing
We know AI is impacting the workplace, but it's not always clear how. To prepare our students for the AI workplace, we need to understand these changes. Business and Professional Writing in English (sponsored by the Kitty O. Locker fund) and the Global Arts + Humanities Center, will host a virtual panel featuring three experts on AI in the workplace. The event will take place on Nov. 12 from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Joint Human-AI Systems theme from TDAI
The Translational Data Analytics Institute is organizing a yearlong Joint Human-AI Systems in an Agentic World theme focused on the challenge of designing artificial intelligence to work with people on important activities — everything from pattern-finding analysis to real-time decision support to taking action. Faculty and staff are invited to join and contribute to the theme.
Share your AI story
We are actively finding ways to share, celebrate and support high-impact work related to AI Fluency at Ohio State. Fill out the survey in the link below if you are interested in sharing your work, and your lessons learned, with others. We would love to hear more about your experiences, challenges, ideas and advice for using AI in the classroom.
Teaching support for AI Fluency
The Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning provides a range of resources and learning opportunities to build your knowledge and skills around AI Fluency. Available to all who teach at Ohio State, the offerings will guide you to make informed decisions about designing learning activities that incorporate AI, communicating transparent expectations for AI use and employing teaching strategies that promote students’ acquisition of AI knowledge and skills.
Upcoming Events
- Nov. 6: Zacher Lecture in the Humanities: The Stories We Tell Our Machines
- Nov. 17: Teaching to Develop AI Fluency at Ohio State
- Jan. 27, 2026: AI-Infused Course Design Institute
Subscribe to the AI Fluency newsletter
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