A Days Journey through the AI @ URI 2.0 Summit

Come with me on a journey exploring AI in teaching learning @ URI. It began as the URI Academic Summit welcomed faculty back to campus in January to discuss AI @ URI 2.0. Opening the event, a URI panel of staff, administration and faculty discussed where URI has come since the last Academic Summit in 2024 on AI and the future based on recommendations from the AI task force report. It is important to clarify that AI includes machine learning, neural networks, and robotics (around for decades), most of the topics for today’s summit address the narrower field of AI: generative AI which became rapidly widespread through open source products (such as ChatGPT). 

Innovative AI Integration in Teaching and Learning Breakout Session

This session explored the innovative ways faculty are incorporating AI into their classrooms. We heard from URI faculty, who are listed below, who have used AI for activities such as group work, individual projects, and programming assignments. Discussion included understanding the impact of AI on student learning and engagement and best practices for motivating students to use these tools effectively.

AI in Business Assignment for Game Creation

Christy Ashley, Marketing/Business
Christy Ashley discussed how students in her business courses made choices about AI tools for game creation. A guest speaker from Hasbro shared insights into how games are developed, and then she showed an example of the differences in game development using AI. Students often approached AI by simplistically replicating her work, not developing their own game creation.

Additionally, there were realtime considerations that impacted the use of the AI such as loading issues. Ashley highlighted the value of experimenting with new approaches in the classroom, experiencing mistakes, and thoughtfully reflecting on how to improve them for future use.

AI in Classroom Discussions and Assignments

Steven Atlas, Marketing/Business
Steven Atlas explored AI’s integration into classroom discussions, embedding learning about AI through discussion forums. He expressed the importance of determining clear parameters for the students. He also introduced optional AI supplements to assignments, allowing students to experiment with AI-generated content and refine their understanding.

For final projects, Steven encouraged students to use AI to develop research questions and benchmark AI behavior against human decision-making. This approach, particularly in marketing research, allowed students to explore how AI processes information differently from humans.

AI in Biology Education

Nic Fisk, Cell & Molecular Biology
Computational biologist and education researcher Nic Fisk emphasized designing assignments suiting the desired learning outcome, which may include how AI is used in research. They contrasted Google and ChatGPT in long-term retention, generalizability, and transfer of skills developed using these tools. They also noted that students’ frustration when they encounter AI-generated errors provides opportunities for learning. For example, prompting a generative AI and identifying missing nuances or important details can help students focus on the interesting elements of their writing or research.

AI’s Analytical Power in Research: Will and Christy

Will and Christy
Will and Christy discussed examining AI’s capabilities in deep analytics, contrasting human limitations with AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data. They highlighted how AI can significantly enhance research methodologies, but also raised concerns about over-reliance on AI-generated insights.





AI in Philosophy and Writing

Will Krieger
Will Krieger explored AI’s role in philosophical writing, emphasizing structured approaches to AI-assisted writing. Writing has always been the way we thought we need to assess philosophy. He has been exploring the outcomes of assignments and courses to consider integrating AI into the process. He implemented a three-submission assignment:

1 – A written detailed prompt asking for a detailed outline specifying sources, material, and objectives.
2 – Use AI to generate a structured essay based on the outline.
3 – Refine the AI-generated material into a final human-authored submission.

This three-submission assignment increases the instructor workload for assessing. Will found that this method worked well for half of the students, reinforcing the idea that specificity in AI prompting leads to better outputs.

AI’s Analytical Power in Research: Will and Christy

Vanessa Harwood
Vanessa Harwood, from the Communication Disorders field, discussed AI’s impact on speech-language pathology as it relates to the arduous chore of phonetic transcription. She noted that while AI can transcribe adult speech accurately, it often struggles with pediatric speech, and more so speech sound disorders.

However, AI tools can significantly reduce documentation time by encoding phonetic transcriptions that are arduous. She advocated for a three-step AI-assisted process that improves efficiency without sacrificing accuracy, where there is a cross check of AI output, ultimately reducing the time spent on transcribing and increasing the time spent with patients. 



Session Wrap Up: AI as a Tool for Thoughtful Integration

The panel concluded with a call for thoughtful AI integration in education. Faculty recognized AI’s ability to create efficiencies, but have also emphasized that it should not replace critical thinking. By understanding AI’s strengths and limitations, faculty can design courses that leverage AI’s benefits while maintaining academic rigor.

Keynote: Courage, AI Systems, and Troubles We Cannot Avoid

Dr. Vance Ricks

Dr. Ricks delved into AI ethics, discussing values in AI design, issue-spotting, and professional responsibilities. He introduced concepts of moral and techno-moral courage, drawing on Shannon Valor’s philosophy of ethical AI use. Key themes included:

  • The importance of intelligent hope and intelligent fear in AI adoption.
  • Recognizing AI as a socio-technological system embedded in broader social contexts.
  • Ethical considerations surrounding AI-driven decisions, especially in teaching and evaluation.

Broader Implications for Teaching Practices


Faculty acknowledged that both students and professors could misuse AI, raising concerns about academic integrity. The conversation emphasized:

  • The historical parallels between AI and past technological fears in advancements like Y2K, calculators, and Wikipedia.
  • The need for well-structured assignments that encourage critical engagement with AI.
  • Institutional approaches to shaping AI adoption in education, balancing efficiency with depth of learning.
Image for 2025 AI at URI 2.0
Ultimately, AI’s role in education will continue to evolve, and educators should remain adaptive, ensuring that AI serves as an enhancer to rather than a replacement for meaningful learning.
– Dr. Amanda Jensen

As we step into the new academic year, we are thrilled to share our exciting journey toward integrating generative AI technologies into our university’s ecosystem. This transformative initiative aims to enhance learning, teaching, and administrative processes. We invite you to be a part of this innovative transition.

Shared Values and Goals

Commitment to Innovation

Our pursuit of generative AI technologies underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence. By integrating these advanced tools, we aim to create a more dynamic and efficient university environment, fostering creativity and problem-solving.

Emphasis on Data Security

Data security and privacy are paramount as we adopt AI technologies. We are in negotiations for enterprise licenses that provide enhanced protection for our data. However, it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that sensitive information is not compromised. Adhere to best practices for data security and adhere to URI IT Security Policies in all AI-related activities. 

While negotiating enterprise licenses that offer greater data protection, it is crucial to exercise caution and handle data responsibly, even within a protected AI environment. Avoid entering personally identifiable information (PII), confidential or classified data, or any information related to intellectual property into AI systems. Always prioritize data security and integrity in your interactions with these technologies. 

Continuous Learning and Improvement

Our journey with generative AI is a continuous learning process. A faculty member is currently piloting a generative AI solution with a cohort of users, and we are eager to learn from this experience to refine and expand our AI capabilities. This pilot program is just the beginning. We will learn from this initiative, refine our approach, and aim to release more robust solutions soon.

We invite faculty, staff, and students to engage with our pilot programs and provide insights on how generative AI can be best utilized in your roles. Your insights will play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI integration at our university, ensuring that these technologies meet your needs and expectations.

For Faculty

Embracing Generative AI in Teaching

Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and interact with students. We encourage faculty to explore AI-driven tools that can provide personalized feedback, automate administrative tasks, and enrich course content.

For Staff

Streamlining Administrative Processes

Generative AI can significantly streamline various administrative processes, from scheduling and data management to communications and support services. As we work towards implementing these tools, your feedback and collaboration will be invaluable in ensuring they meet the needs of our university community.

For Students

Enhancing Learning Experiences

Generative AI offers innovative ways to support your academic journey, from personalized study aids and tutoring to dynamic research tools. We are dedicated to providing access to AI resources that can enhance your learning experience and academic performance.

Final Thoughts

The integration of generative AI into our university is an exciting step towards a more innovative and efficient future. Faculty, staff, and students each play a vital role in this transition. By working together and adhering to data security guidelines, we can harness the power of AI to enhance our academic and administrative capabilities.

We look forward to embarking on this journey with you and exploring the transformative potential of generative AI. Here’s to a groundbreaking year ahead!