This spring, CIC announced the AI Ready network, a new initiative dedicated to preparing and supporting independent higher education institutions in the ever-evolving landscape of generative artificial intelligence. As AI technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, it is essential for CIC member institutions to stay ahead and leverage these innovations effectively.
The AI Ready programs that will kick off in the fall of 2024 are designed to be a dynamic and collaborative community where institutions can come together to explore and address the challenges and opportunities AI presents. By engaging in this network, member institutions will have the opportunity to share best practices, discuss emerging trends, and develop strategies that will help them integrate AI into their operations and curriculum.
Program 1: All Campus Essentials
The All Campus Essentials program features a topical area related to generative AI each month. This program includes four virtual sessions per topic, designed to build a solid foundation in AI for faculty, staff, and administrators. Over the course of 36 hours of content, spread across nine key topics, participants will gain insights tailored to their roles and areas on campus. Within just one month of announcing, CIC met its membership goal of 40 colleges and universities. And as of August 2024, there are 87 institutions engaging in the work!
Program 2: Build Your Own
The Build Your Own program is a dive deep into generative AI using real campus data. With expert guidance, a small campus team will learn to harness their data and deploy AI solutions responsibly. Participants will have access to a custom LLM (Large Language Model) sandbox, featuring individual instances of ChatGPT, Claude, and others. This sandbox allows for private searches, full data uploads, and comparisons of different AI models. CIC had a goal of 8 institutions in this pilot program and 22 schools have enrolled as of August 2024!
Beyond the immediate benefits for network members, the AI Ready network aims to have a broader impact. CIC is committed to translating the valuable insights and findings from this network into comprehensive publications and resources that will be made available to all CIC members, ensuring that the advancements and best practices developed within the network benefit the entire community.