at Arizona State University
ASU President
Michael M. Crow
At Arizona State University, we scale innovation – enhancing opportunity, accelerating discovery and delivering solutions that matter. We are dedicated to expanding opportunity, accelerating discovery, and delivering solutions that matter.
Augmented intelligence (AI) is a powerful example of this commitment in action What began as a bold institutional exercise has evolved into an enterprise-wide transformation, reshaping how we teach, learn, research, and operate.
Faculty are designing programs with AI at their foundation. Students are preparing for the future of work with AI-powered tools and ventures. Researchers are applying AI to challenges from health to climate And across ASU, we are reimagining systems to improve outcomes and expand access, creativity and efficiency.
But scaling innovation in AI does not rest on technology alone It requires working together to advance purposeful innovation at scale that aligns with our charter, mission and goals in service to the public good
Together, we are advancing purposeful innovation at scale, aligned with our charter and mission to empower discovery and create greater opportunity.
This is ASU’s AI Journey — a collective endeavor to accelerate learning, empower discovery, and open doors for all.
MICHAELM.CROW PRESIDENTOFARIZONASTATEUNIVERSITY
University Provost
Nancy Gonzales
At Arizona State University, our faculty and students are demonstrating every day how artificial intelligence can enhance learning, discovery and opportunity AI is not abstract for our community — it is a tool woven into courses, research and creative practice.
Faculty are reimagining how they teach, designing assignments and experiences that prepare students to work with AI responsibly and effectively. Students are using AI to explore ideas, launch ventures and prepare for the future of work with confidence and skill
This edition of The AI Journey highlights their stories. It shows how AI is extending access, deepening engagement and opening pathways to success for learners at every level For our students, AI is not tomorrow’s technology it is part of their education today.
NANCYGONZALES UNIVERSITYPROVOST ARIZONASTATEUNIVERSITY
ASUPRESIDENT MICHAELCROW PHOTOBYSAMANTHA CHOW,ARIZONASTATE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITYPROVOST NANCYGONZALES PHOTOBYJILL RICHARDSANDHEIDI EASUDES,ENTERPRISE BRANDSTRATEGYAND MANAGEMENT
AI is not abstract for our community it is a tool woven into courses, research and creative practice.
move How smallsparksbecome
ments
At Arizona State University, AI demonstrates how scale is the quiet power that turns a single idea into a movement.
What begins in one classroom, one lab or one conversation grows, multiplies and becomes part of the fabric of our university.
The stories found within these pages highlight human impact through students, faculty and staff while also reflecting broader reach: thousands of participants, enterprise-wide adoption and global connections.
They also reinforce that AI at ASU is advancing.
This is not a pilot or a tentative experiment.
This is the blueprint for the future of higher education, a living demonstration of how innovation, when scaled with purpose, can transform teaching, learning, research, and operations.
This edition of The AI Journey captures that momentum, showing scale not as a concept, but as a lived reality. ai.asu.edu
will.i.am toteach ASU classon agentic AI
Robots designed tohelpvisually impared
INNOVATIONATSCALE
ASUisdrivingthefutureoflearning throughboldpartnerships,innovative programsandAI-poweredtoolsthat preparelearnerstoleadinanAI-driven world
PAGE8
AI-READYSTUDENTSANDGRADUATES ThesestoriesshowhowASUequipsstudents withskills,tools,andexperiencestobecome AI-readygraduatespreparedforthe workforce
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LEADINGTHEWAYINAI
ASUisreimaginingteachingandlearning throughboldAIdesignprinciplesandevents likeAIDaythatshowcaseinnovationsat scale
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RESEARCHMATTERS
ASUresearchersareharnessingAIforrealworldimpact,fromRobodogsaiding humanitytotoolsthatoutsmarthackers
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The AI Journey is made possible through the collaborative efforts of ASU’s Enterprise Technology Creative x Communications team and Media Relations and Strategic Communications, along with additional contributing units, ensuring a comprehensive and cohesive initiative.
Our team of storytellers and digital strategists is excited to showcase how technology is driving transformation at ASU.
This publication was designed by Graphic Design Specialist, Hyde Groat and Senior Communications Specialist, Alisha Mendez.
This report was developed using AI tools to enhance and streamline content
Explore how Arizona State University is harnessing the power of AI to enhance teaching, learning and research by visiting ai.asu.edu
AI at scale
Innovationat scale
Weareacceleratingthroughbold partnerships,newprogramsand powerfultoolslikeChatGPT-5and CreateAIbuiltbyASUforASU. Fromwill.i.amteachingagenticAI toglobalcoalitionsadvancing skills,ASUispreparinglearnersto leadinanAI-drivenworld.
will.i.amto teachASU classon agenticAI
Addingtoagrowing numberofAI-centered degrees,programsand courses,anewAI coursecalled“The AgenticSelf” willbe designed andtaught bywill i am,whohas beenappointeda professorofpracticein TheGAMESchoolat ASU,partofHerberger InstituteforDesignand theArts “This professorshipmarksa newchapterinmylife,” saidwill.i.am.The coursewillbuildnew education-focused capabilitiesontopof will i am'sFYI AI creativeproductivity tool,creatingEDUFYI, anewplatform usingNVIDIA technology.
ASUand OpenAIexpand collaboration
InJan 2024,ASU madeglobalheadlines asthefirstuniversityto collaboratewith OpenAI,thecompany behindChatGPT Sincethen over500projectsacross academic,researchand workhaveexplored theuseofChatGPT inhighereducation Now,the universityistakingthenextstep bymakingChatGPTEduwith GPT-5availabletoeverystudent, facultymember,researcherand staffmember Theexpanded collaborationfocusesonscaling AIinnovationstoadvance studentsuccess, accelerateresearchand transformcollaboration acrossthe universityenterprise
CreateAItoolkit powersthenext waveofAIinnovations CreateAIisASU’sAItoolkitbuiltby ASUforASU. Facultyandstaff candesigntailoredAI experienceswithCreateAI Builder,whiledevelopersuse CreateAIPlatformtobuildcustom solutions.Infall2025,Builder expandedtoover20,000ASU employees.Withover3,000AI experiencesalreadyinprogress,
NewAIandgaming educationinitiative
AnewcollaborationbetweenASUandAethir,a globalleaderinartificialintelligenceinfrastructure, willadvancetheuseofAIandblockchain technologiesineducation.Theinitiativewilllaunchat ASU’sEndlessGamesandLearningLab,where facultyandstudentswillexplorereal-world applicationsofAIingame-basedlearning environments Aethirisprovidingupto$3millionvia computingresourcestokickstarttheefforts.
theuniversityisscalingAI innovationcampus-wide Seemoreonpages30-31
AIDayatASUshowcasesAI innovationsatscale
OnSept 15,nearly500ASUfaculty,staff andstudentsgatheredontheTempe campusfortheinauguralAIDayatASU This university-wideeventsurfacedtheimpactful waysASUstudents,facultyandstaffare leadinginAIadvancement,whilecreating spaceformeaningfuldialogueand discovery ASUPresidentMichaelM Crow gavethemorningkeynote,whereheurged theASUcommunitytobefearlessin embracingAI
PHOTOBY:TABBSMOSIER
Photoby:TabbsMosier
National and global impact
Master’sdegreein AIlaunchesinLAto serveglobal businessleaders
TheW.P.CareySchoolof Business’MasterofSciencein ArtificialIntelligenceinBusiness (MS-AIB) thefirstAIgraduate degreeprogramfromaUS businessschoolwhenit launchedin2024 announced itwillexpandtoLosAngeles. Beginninginfall2026,the degreeprogramwillbeoffered atASU’sCaliforniaCenter Broadway,wheretheprogram willprovidestudentsthe opportunitytostudyatthe intersectionofbusinessand technologyinoneofthe nation’smostinnovativehubs
ASUnamedfirst universitypartnerforAI SkillsCoalition
ASUhasbeeninvitedtobethe firstuniversitypartner-member oftheAISkillsCoalition,which aimstobridgetheglobalAIskills gapbysharingknowledgeand trainingaroundtheworld.Ledby theUnitedNations’International TelecommunicationUnion’sAI forGoodImpactInitiative,the coalitionprovideseducational materialsthatcanbolsterskills forthefutureandaddressglobal inequalitiesinAIknowledge.
First-ever AgenticAIglobal gathering
FromOct.22-24,2025, ASUanditspartnerswill bringtogetherover500 educationandindustry leadersfromaroundthe worldtoTempe,Arizona fortheinauguralAgentic AIandtheStudent Experience Theevent bringstogethernearly75 speakersacrossaseries ofkeynotesandbreakout sessionstoshowcase examplesofagenticAI underwayandsurface dialogueamongstaglobal network.
Scalingintelligence: CreateAIandASU’s agenticfuture
Agentic AI at ASU
WRITTENBYTINAMILLER
PHOTOSBYTABBSMOSIER ANDALISHAMENDEZ,ASU
At Arizona State University, the future of education is being built by those who lead with curiosity and purpose.
What’s the next frontier?
Agentic AI — where humans create, guide, and oversee systems designed to collaborate, take initiative, and help achieve meaningful outcomes
Powered by CreateAI, the backbone of ASU’s AI innovation ecosystem, the university is leading the next era of intelligent, human-centered technology in higher education. ASU’s vision for agentic AI is deeply connected to its broader mission: using innovation to enhance learning and expand opportunity at scale.
Across teaching, research, and operations, agentic AI enables systems that collaborate with people tutoring students, analyzing data, supporting research, and automating routine processes — all while maintaining transparency, ethical oversight, and institutional control.
“Agentic AI is about extending human capability,” explained Elizabeth Reilley, Executive Director of AI Acceleration.
“It’s not about machines thinking for us, but about empowering people to accomplish more through systems that act on human goals.”
Built by ASU for ASU, CreateAI provides the foundation for this transformation. One key differentiator is the university’s ability to create a secure, modelagnostic environment grounded in ethical and responsible innovation. Built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), this vendor-agnostic platform empowers CreateAI agents to connect and collaborate seamlessly across systems
With Agent-to-Agent (A2A) communication, powered by MCP, CreateAI unites diverse technologies into a truly interoperable network
Building Medical Cases with Agentic Precision
At ASU Health, faculty are using CreateAI’s agentic framework to rapidly develop detailed, multilayered medical case studies. One recent example focuses on adolescent asthma, following Ben, a 15-year-old navigating both medical and social challenges that affect his health. Multiple AI agents collaborate to craft the narrative, integrate patient data, verify accuracy, and refine details before faculty review. The case explores ethical and social factors like consent for minors, medication costs, and stigma around inhaler use. By combining AI-driven creation with faculty expertise, ASU is transforming case development from weeks of work into hours while enriching student learning.
Smarter Assessments through the Learning Engineering Institute
The Learning Engineering Institute is leveraging CreateAI to build adaptive quizzes that assess how students think Multiple AI agents analyze content, generate questions, evaluate cognitive load, and design optimal distractors an evidence-based approach to testing that advances both learning and research. These tools demonstrate how CreateAI’s agentic design can turn educational theory into scalable, datainformed practice.
Shapingthe futureof AgenticAIin education
ASU and partners lead the conversation on Agentic AI and the Student Experience
Agentic AI on global scale
WRITTENBYSTEPHANIEKING
Universities have long played an important role in the development of AI systems. As higher education and industry professionals alike navigate advances in AI, charting the future of how this technology can enhance the student experience has never been more urgent.
Agentic AI and the Student Experience is a signature, future-focused gathering hosted by ASU and its partners from October 22-24 that will bring together 500+ international education and industry leaders to explore how agentic AI is impacting higher education and the student experience.
“Education stands at the edge of a new frontier with agentic AI, where AI systems are proactive, adaptive and deeply personalized to enhance the student experience,” said Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer at ASU and executive sponsor for the event.
“What began as a call to convene has grown into a global gathering of more than 500 education and industry leaders who will chart the next chapter of AI in education,” Gonick continued
At the heart of this gathering in Tempe, Arizona, is the emergence of agentic AI: intelligent systems that not only respond to users but can proactively make decisions, initiate actions and solve problems. Agentic AI holds immense potential to transform how we learn, advise, assess and prepare students for the future workforce; this convening positions ASU at the forefront of the conversation, bridging thought leadership, applied innovation and ethical responsibility
Over three days, participants will engage in keynotes, interactive workshops and innovation showcases, with a focus on real-world implementation and collaboration across sectors. This year’s lineup of keynote speakers features leading voices across industry, including Marina Gorbis (Executive Director, Institute for the Future): Dr. Danielle Perszyk (Cognitive scientist, Amazon AGI SF Lab); Vala Afshar (bestselling author and Chief Digital Evangelist, Salesforce); Kyrsten Sinema (Former Arizona US Senator) and ASU’s President Michael. M. Crow.
As ASU continues to expand its pioneering presence in the AI space, Agentic AI and the Student Experience underscores the university’s commitment to shaping a future where technology and humanity move forward together
GATHERING GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Registrants 550+
Breakout
Sessions 21
Countries Represented 18
Keynotes 5
PicturedaboveareMarinaGorbis(PhotocourtesyofM Gorbis),Dr DaniellePerszyk(Photo courtesyofD.Perszyk),ValaAfshar(PhotocourtesyofV.Afshar),KyrstenSinema(Photo courtesyofK.Sinema),andASUPresidentMichaelM.Crow.(PhotoCredit:DeannaDent,ASU).
AI at scale
AI-ready studentsand graduates
This collection of stories illustrates the role of today’s universities to bridge education to employment pathways for students. Discover the emerging skills, tools and experiences that prepare ASU students to become AI-ready graduates ready to tackle the workforce.
PHOTOBYTABBSMOSIER ANDALISHAMENDEZ,ASU
TiffanyMcClellanhelps scaleAI-creativity
WRITTENBYANNIEDAVIS PHOTOBYTABBSMOSIER,ASU
From dance cam to selfie cam, the jumbotron at ASU’s Welcome Night lit up the stage with first-time students this past August. But for ASU senior Tiffany McClellan, the graphic designs used on the big screen felt like a major accomplishment and culmination of her education journey at ASU so far.
“Seeing my [graphic] designs light up on the ASU jumbotron was such a surreal moment,” said McClellan. “It felt like everything that I’ve been
learning and creating at ASU came full circle.” McClellan is studying graphic information technology at Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering on the university’s Polytechnic campus
The jumbotron graphics – which included the dance cam, selfie cam and prize celebrations – were designed over the summer using a combination of Adobe Express and Firefly, which offers a variety of AI features to support graphic design.
McClellan also designed a variety of templates inside Adobe Express. These incorporate ASU branding elements, including fonts, colors and logos, to help fellow Sun Devils design using the university brand elements.
McClellan has been able to access Adobe’s suite of creative tools for free since starting her college experience, thanks to the university’s longstanding collaboration with Adobe
ASU offers Adobe Express, Firefly and Podcasts to all students, faculty and staff at no charge.
ASU students get access toall newAI toolsets
For ASU students like McClellan, Adobe Express is delivered through the university’s Digital Backpack. This semester, the ASU Digital Backpack received all new AI tools including Google Gemini for Education, which includes NotebookLM, as well as Microsoft’s Copilot Chat; students can also access tools like Zoom and Slack. These tools replicate those used across industry, while also supporting enhanced creativity, communication and collaboration.
Meet the students behind ASU’s AI Scholars Program
WRITTENBYJOYCELYNMUÑOZ
Thesefirst-timeASUstudentshaveshown curiosityandambitionregardingthe intersectionoftechnologyandhuman potential.
Imagineamobileappthatcouldshow students3Dmodelsofchemical compounds,providingthemwithanewAIassistedtutoringtoolfortheirchemistry classes;oravirtualcoachthatcouldtell studentsallaboutscholarshiporganizations, materialsneededforapplicationsand whetherthey’dbeagoodcandidate.
Thesearethestudentideasfloatingaround theAIScholarProgramatASU.
MeetAnnie
AnnieAndersenisafreshmanatASU’s CollegeofIntegrativeSciencesandthe Arts,studyinguserexperience(UX) Fromanimator,toengineer,Andersen foundherdreamjobshiftingasshe learnedmoreabouteachfield Onething remainedthesameassheexplored:she lovedlearning,andshelovedlearning howpeoplelearned
Finally,shefoundtheuserexperience degreepath.Andintoday’severinnovatingAIlandscape,Andersenis excitedtoexploretheUXsideofAIitself
“AIisbeingincorporatedintoevery productnowadays,andsothere’sthis gapwherepeopledon’tknowhowto designforAIyet,andthat’swhereIwant tocomeinandunderstandhowIcan designitforpeople,”Andersensaid.
Typically,AndersenusesvariousAItools forresearchpurposes,likefinding resourcesandsummarizingreports. Drawingfromherownexperiences,she’s ideatedanewAItoolofherown:a scholarshipresearchassistant
“Ihavethisextensionidea where,onceyoufinda scholarship,theextension couldtrackitforyou,” Andersensaid.“Youcould opentheextensionandwitha trackerandwebcrawlers,it couldautomatethistasklist foryouanditcanresearch theorganizationforyou.”
MeetSolika
SolikaSokhanisasophomoretransfer studentatASU’sTheCollegeofLiberal ArtsandSciences,studying biochemistrywithanemphasison medicinalchemistry AtASU,she’s surroundedbyAIinnovationsbothin andoutofthechemistrylab
“Right
now I’m using AI for my studies,” Sokhan said. “For me, my hardest subject is physics, and I use AI to summarize the chapter, create quizzes, and better study the subject so that I can do more and learn more about it.”
FromherownuseofAI,Sokhanwas inspiredtocreateatutoringtooltohelp studentsstudychemistry anAI-poweredappcapableofdisplaying 3Dvisualsofchemicalcompounds
“Iknowthatstudentscanfindchemistry reallyobstructing,sometimesreally boringtostudy,andit’shardto understandthingswhenyoucan’tsee thingsin3D”
Sokhanislookingforwardtogaininga deeperunderstandingofartificial intelligence,particularlywhenitcomes tobuildingthebackendofnewtoolsand databases WhenitcomestoAI,Sokhan sayssheiswillingandexcitedtolearn everythingshecanaboutit.
Sokhanplanstoexplorecomputational chemistryasafuturegraduatestudent.
AIScholarsProgram
TheASUAIScholarProgramisajoint collaborationbetweentheUniversity ProvostandASUEnterpriseTechnologythat isdesignedtoprovidestudentswithnew pathwaystoleadershipinAIacrossallfields, exploringthefutureoftechnologyand humanpotential
Theinitiativeisdesignedtoempowerthe nextgenerationofglobalthinkers,makers andleadersinAI Theprogramprovides participantswiththeopportunityto collaboratewithindustryleaders,accessto AIplatforms,priorityparticipationin internationalAIhackathonsand opportunitiesforinternshippathwaysand mentorship
Whetheryouaremakingyourmorning commute,onthewaytoclassorjust tryingtomakeitclearacrosstown,you haveprobablyrunintoatrafficproblemor two.Reportinganissuecanhelplocal policedepartmentsaddressongoing trafficproblems,andcontributetothe overallsafetyofthecommunity
ThankstoacollaborationwithASU’s ArtificialIntelligenceCloudInnovation Center,poweredbyAWS,apolice departmentinChandlerwillsoonhavean allnewtrafficreportingwebportal A groupofstudentworkers,including GaneshMadduri,MatthewBrummund, ArpitaMandalandSaranRamesh,took onvariousrolestorevampthewebportal fromuserexperienceandAIenhancedback-endprocessing
MandalandRameshredesignedtheweb portal’suserinterface,whileMadduriand Brummundfocusedontheback-end usedbythedepartmenttotrackreports andassigntaskstoofficers.They designedinteractivedashboardsthatlog detailsofthecomplaint,including location,timingandmore
“We focused on finding the right tool for the right use case,” shared Brummund.
Perhapsmostimpressivewasthe visualizationcomponentsbuiltintothe dashboard.
TheteamtookamapofChandlerand overlaidthevariousbeats–geographically definedsectionsofthecityassignedto specificofficers–withaheatmapto showcasewherethemosttrafficreports occur Withabettervisualizationofwhere reportsareoccurring,theyalsodesigned anAI-drivenfeaturethatallowsthe departmenttofactfindquickly,asking questionslike“Canyoushowmethecases thataretaggedasspeeding?”or“Which beathasopenreports?”
Theofficercanusethechatfeaturetosend emailsdirectlytoofficersinthefield The projecttooknearlysixmonthstocomplete Inthattime,thestudentsmeetwith ChandlerPDprojectadvocateLieutenant DanMcQuillitoreviewandrevisethe proposednewdesign
TheChandlerPoliceDepartmentis workingtodeploytheprototypedelivered bythestudentsthiscalendaryear.
KnownastheAI-CIC,thepartnership betweenASUandAWSexpands innovationfromcampustocommunityby workingwithlocalorganizationstohelp advancetheuseofAIinthepublicsector
“It’sauniqueopportunityforourstudentsto getexperiencewithreal-worldproject workandpartners,”saidJohnRome, deputyCIOandexecutivesponsorforthe AI-CIC “AtASU,we’refocusedonAI-ready graduatesandopportunitieslikethis supportthatgoal.”
ASUVentureDevils fuelsthenext generationofAI-ready studententrepreneurs
WRITTENBYJOYCELYNMUÑOZ
Fromstudententrepreneurstopostgradstart-upfounders,ASUVenture Devilshassuccessfullysupported multipleAI-leveragedventuresthatare stillseeinghighlevelsofsuccesstoday.
ASUVentureDevilsispartoftheJ Orin EdsonEntrepreneurship+Innovation InstitutewithinASU’sKnowledge Enterprise Theprogramofferscurrent ASUandMaricopaCommunity Collegestudentsafullsuiteof resourcestosupportentrepreneurial success.Studentscansubmittheir ventureidea,andoncetheyhavean acceptedventure,theyareprovided withaccesstonetworking opportunitiesandmentorshipswith universityandindustryleaders
Mostimportantly,theycanpitchtheir ventureduringDemoDayforthe chancetoreceivefundingtosupport theirventure Thisisashark-tankstyle eventwherestudentspitchtheir ventureideatoapanelofjudges.
IshaanMirchandaniisanASU graduateandfounderof “Studygenie,”anethics-firstAIstudy platformthatpromotesactive learningby materialslik lecturevide materialsin
AtDemoD Mirchanda won$2,50 wentonto $25,000 N anASUgra Mirchanda 40,000use generative technology
ISHAAN MIRCHANDANIASUGRADUATEAND FOUNDEROFSTUDYGENIE
OnStudygenie,studentscan engageinactivelearningthrough flashcards,multiplechoice questions,AI-gradedfreeresponse questions,andAItutoringsessions, alldesignedtoenhanceretention andacademicperformance.
Mirchandaniearnedhisdegreein computerinformationsystemsfrom ASU Forhim,choosingASUover otheruniversitieswasaneasy decision.
“Thereallybigdifferentiatorwith ASUisthattheydon’tjustprovide youwithresources,”Mirchandani said “Buttheyactuallyactively encourageyoutopursuethese opportunitiesinventure developmentand entrepreneurship”
Studygenieleveragesfoundational generativeAImodelsfromOpenAI andAnthropicwithitsown proprietaryalgorithmstocreate
“Areallypopularfeatureis: ‘explainlikeI’mfive,’” Mirchandanisaid.“Whenever yougetstuckormaybegeta questionwrong,youcan havetheAItutorexplain why.”
Theplatformalsotracksstudentprogress, enablingfocusedattentiononareaswhere studentshavethegreatestgaps By leveragingAI,theplatformencourages ethicalandresponsibleAIuseforstudents workingontheirstudies
“Studentsareamongthefastestadopters ofgenerativeAI,”Mirchandanisaid “The technologyhasspreadexponentially acrosscampuses Sinceeveryone’s alreadyusingit,universitiesneedtoenable studentstoadoptitethicallyand responsibly,andIbelievethatcanonly happenbyprovidingthemwiththeright toolstodososeamlessly.”
WithVentureDevils,Mirchandanigotthe experienceheneededtoideate,develop andmarkethisstart-up Thecombinationof mentorship,education,andcompetency growthallpavedthewayforhimtobe successfulonDemoDay Mirchandanisaid thatVentureDevilsisanampleopportunity forbothaspiringentrepreneurs,andfor studentslookingforsomethingnew
“Ifyouwanttobecomean entrepreneur,andyourheartis setonthat,VentureDevilsis theabsolutebestplaceto start,”Mirchandanisaid “But also,forstudentswhoarejust curiousandwanttogain uniqueexperiences,Ithink VentureDevilsisanincredible opportunity”
AI at scale
Leadingthe wayinAI
At ASU, teaching and learning are being reimagined for a new era. From the launch of six bold design principles guiding the future of AI learning to AI Day showcasing innovations at scale, the university is setting a powerful vision for what’s next, now.
CreateAItoolkit powersnextwaveof AIinnovationsatASU
If last year was about realizing AI’s impact, the upcoming academic year will focus on impact at scale. At least, that’s the vision for Arizona State University’s Chief Information Officer Lev Gonick
“We’re playing the long game when it comes to AI,” shared Gonick.
And that future is CreateAI.
CreateAI is the university’s own AI toolkit built by ASU for ASU offering generative capabilities for its faculty, staff and students. The CreateAI toolkit offers a variety of roles and features For example, faculty members can design custom AI experiences for their classes using CreateAI Builder. Other features include CreateAI Compare, which helps Sun Devils make informed decisions on the right AI model to use
By building the AI toolkit, the university is better positioned to meet the demands of AI tools at scale – taking into consideration cost, security and capabilities
“Alongside our work to offer industry-leading tools like Google Gemini and Adobe Express, we’ve developed our own bespoke solution that will ultimately drive AI at scale for ASU,” continued Gonick
The university positioned itself as a leader for AI innovations early on. In 2023, ASU and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced they would reimagine their longstanding partnership to advance AI in the public sector. A year later, ASU made global headlines when it announced the first-ever collaboration with OpenAI
In parallel, the university has been working collaboratively across technology leaders and faculty to develop its own AI toolkit for scale.
Today, the university has its sights set on bringing this work closer to campus, with the next wave of AI innovations being built on CreateAI.
“If last year was about realizing impact, the year ahead is all about scaling responsibly to ensure all Sun Devils can take advantage of AI. CreateAI is that future.”
LEVGONICK, ASUCHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
20,000+ faculty and staff at ASU have access to CreateAI
With tools like CreateAI Builder, anyone at ASU no coding experience required can design and customize AI experie just a few steps
Built by ASU, for ASU, Cr operates within ASU’s se governed infrastructure faculty, staff, and student to more than 40 large lan models, including OpenA Google, and others. This ensures users can choos model for the right idea.
Ellis notes her goal is to support AI-ready graduates. “This makes them more prepared than any other fashion student,” Ellis said “And, to my knowledge, there are no other schools or no other [fashion] students doing this.”
CreateAI Builder is now available to the more than 20,000 faculty and staff working at ASU. And today, adoption is already underway, with over 3,000 AI experiences already developed inside CreateAI.
Naomi Ellis is an instructor with ASU-FIDM, a school within Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Students enrolled in her AI in Fashion course are tasked with creating a custom GPT, with access to CreateAI Builder Last semester, students' AI projects included building a brand bot and developing a sustainable shopping guide.
Steven Salik, clinical associate professor at Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation is building AI mentors for his students These chat agents are embedded into his course on Canvas for students to engage in mentor-like discussions.
“It casts the students into an internship role,” Salik said “It’s supposed to help them figure out how to interact with somebody in the discipline who's got a broader depth of knowledge than they do. It’s supposed to help students develop their professional communication skills.”
Purpose-built AI experiences for ASU, by ASU
CreateAI not only offers a robust AI solution at scale for faculty and staff, it also enables the university’s technology teams to design AI solutions that are purpose-built for higher education.
Collaborative efforts across the university’s technology leaders
EdPlus and Enterprise Technology — showcase this possibility.
DegreeMe is an AI-driven tool designed to help prospective ASU Online students explore degree programs The five-minute quiz walks students through a series of questions based on their career interests and personal characteristics. CreateAI helps power DegreeMe, which uses OpenAI’s LLM to drive generative AI responses
Dreamscape Learn is the university’s virtual reality platform that provides highly immersive learning environments in both 2D and 3D
The Dreamscape AI Companion interacts with students as an animated avatar that offers both text-to-speech and speech-totext to facilitate lifelike conversations where students can ask questions, brainstorm ideas and help clarify concepts.
A cohort of students enrolled in summer 2025 were among the first to use the AI Companion inside Dreamscape Learn.
When collecting feedback from students in the summer BIO181 course, one student expressed how the Companion was helpful: "Confirming what I thought was correct gave me a confidence boost."
These projects illustrate how CreateAI is scaling responsibly across ASU — from classrooms to research labs turning ideas into real-world impact.
ASUfaculty explorenextgenAItools foreducation
WRITTENBYBYJOYCELYNMUÑOZ
When Danielle McNamara describes the power of AI in education, she lights up. “The key affordance of generative AI,” she says, “is that it allows instructors, faculty and staff to be in the driver’s seat to create their own tools that solve their own problems.”
As Executive Director of the Learning Engineering Institute (LEI) at Arizona State University, McNamara is turning that vision into action through the Principled Innovation Grant Program, which supports faculty-led projects using AI to transform teaching and learning.
Building AI solutions for education
Established in 2023, LEI focuses on enhancing student success and wellbeing through evidencebased, scalable innovations
The team is working to develop AI experiences like Syllabot and Syllabus Helper, both designed to support faculty in developing and improving their course syllabi
Syllabot serves as a generative AI assistant, helping students ask and receive answers about their course requirements
Danielle,secondfromtheright,ispictured withAI-forwardASUfacultyandstaff. PhotobyMikeSanchez
Building on that foundation, Syllabus Helper gives faculty feedback on tone and learning objectives and even suggests revisions when student questions reveal gaps in clarity
Tackling real-world challenges
LEI also offers a unique grant program that empowers interdisciplinary teams to use ASU’s CreateAI Builder the university’s generative AI toolkit — to design transformative solutions to real
To date, 18 projects across two cohorts have been awarded, spanning a range of applications, from game-based simulations to conversational AI tools that assist educators in navigating complex classroom situations.
The first cohort of projects awarded addressed broader issues in education. The Refugee Policy Game, developed by an interdisciplinary team of faculty that includes Adnan Turan and Janel WhiteTaylor. The AI-enhanced simulations replicate realworld challenges faced by refugees in educational settings, allowing users to consider policies from the perspective of marginalized communities.
The second cohort of awarded projects, launched in October 2025, includes the Corrective Feedback Chatbot, produced by Bryan Smith, Jinjing Zhao and Emilia Gracia This AI experience offers corrective feedback to secondlanguage learners, helping them improve their oral language development
For McNamara, these projects exemplify the spirit of learning engineering creativity, experimentation and collaboration “It allows our faculty and staff to be creative and to design educational solutions that put principled innovation into practice.”
ASULaw welcomesfirsttimestudents withAI guidelines
WRITTENBYJOYCELYNMUÑOZ
Before diving into the semester, the 2025 first-year class of Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU learned how to navigate the world of AI in relation to legal issues.
The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University started off the fall 2025 semester strong with its first-year Juris Doctor students before they even stepped foot into the classroom. During their JD orientation, students received guidance on the ethical considerations and the do’s and don’ts of AI use with their coursework
ASU law clinical professors, Susan Chesler and Kimberly Holst, led their presentation, "Thinking like a lawyer with AI,” during orientation
Their key message was to encourage students to think about how AI could enhance their learning, rather than replacing it
“Orientation is an opportunity to speak to every single student,” Chesler said. “After their first year of law school, when students get their first job, they’re going to need to have access to all these AI tools, so we need to get it to them.”
Ethical considerations listed during orientation included: competence, diligence, confidentiality and supervision.
PHOTOSBY ASULAW
Generally, the do’s of AI tend to include day-to-day organization, combing through study materials and overall supplemental support for coursework The most important “do,” is to ask the professor. AI policy at the law school is on a classroom-toclassroom basis, mimicking the very real spectrum of AI usage changing depending on law firms and agencies
“We know that students are using [AI], so we want these concepts of ethics and efficient use to be at the forefront of their law school experience,” said Holst
Outside of the classroom, the most consistent trend with AI in law, is a continual increase. So, learning environments will need to reflect that According to Chesler, most law firms in Phoenix alone are using AI to some extent, and
it's even becoming an expectation from clients. Additionally, some law firms are even developing their own branded AI tools for employee and client use Therefore, students need to see the big picture.
“It’s about how to use AI strategically,” Chesler said “And it makes graduates more marketable if they know AI ethically and responsibly.”
As they progress through law school, students may find themselves using AI to review article research, job searching and even bar exam preparation.
“AI is around, they’re going to encounter it in practice, so why not get familiar?” Holst said “We want to focus on empowering students, not on any fear of AI.”
ProfessorsSueChesler(Right)and KimberlyHolst(Left) led"Thinkinglikea lawyerwithAI,"coveringthedo's,don't'sand ethicalconsiderationsofusingAIatASU Law,helpingourstudentsstartstrongand thinksmartbeforeevensteppingfootinthe classroom.
Master’sdegreein AIlaunchesinLA toserveglobal businessleaders
AI in higher education
WRITTENBYJOYCELYNMUÑOZ
The W. P. Carey School of Business’ Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence in Business (MS-AIB) the first AI graduate degree program from a U.S. business school when it launched in 2024 — announced it will expand to Los Angeles.
Beginning in fall 2026, the degree program will be offered at ASU’s California Center Broadway, where it will provide students the opportunity to study at the intersection of business and technology in one of the nation’s most innovative hubs.
Ohad Kadan, Charles J Robel Dean and W P Carey Distinguished Chair in Business, said the Los Angeles market was a natural fit for the program.
“Expanding the MS-AIB program to Los Angeles builds on ASU's commitment to innovation and access while connecting students directly with the industries shaping the future of AI in business,” said Kadan. “From entertainment and fashion to technology and startups, the LA market is a natural fit for this program ”
The MS-AIB degree program expanded from Tempe to Los Angeles to prepare students in an immersive AI environment, with top industries, including fashion and technology, making strides in AI. The degree path requires 30 total credit hours and can be completed in two semesters
Courses students will take while completing their MSAIB program in Los Angeles include:
Enterprise Data Analytics
AI in Business Machine Learning in Business
Business Data
Visualization
Analytics for Unstructured Data
AI Business Strategy
AI and Data Analytics Strategy
Data and Tech
Governance in Business
Programming for AI and Data Analytics in Business
Transforming Business with AI (capstone)
A recommended concurrent degree for the MS-AIB program is the Master of Global Management (MGM) degree, through the Thunderbird School of Global Management The combination of the two pairs AI with comprehensive global management and leadership training.
The Los Angeles announcement expands on AI offerings already available on the Tempe campus and online. W.P. Carey’s Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence in Business program equips students with the technical AI and business skills required to succeed in the constantly evolving landscape of technology and information systems By learning how AI technologies work and how to deploy them successfully within a business, students gain a competitive edge when starting their own enterprises.
The program is set to be available on the ASU Polytechnic campus beginning fall 2026. Career opportunities for individuals who complete the MS-AIB and BSAIB programs include AI program manager, AI strategist, business consultant, data analyst, machine learning engineer, and product manager.
Launchofthe sixnewdesign principles
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The introduction of generative AI was met with record-breaking adoption across millions of individuals And while the innovations and impact starting to surface are promising, addressing the ethical implications is critical.
Ahead of the fall 2025 semester, the ASU Faculty Ethics Committee for AI Technology publicly released Design Principles for Beneficial and Responsible AI, a set of six guiding principles that are meant to evolve alongside the technology
The six design principles, which focus on enterprise development and implementation, include: amplify possibilities, be agile, evaluate vigilantly and continually improve, evaluate fairness and access, protect privacy, and shared responsibility.
The principles are designed to guide everyday decisions related to building, integrating or evaluating AI efforts across ASU.
“My work focuses on human creativity and generative AI from a very applied perspective,” said Ron Beghetto, a professor at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation who contributed to the design principles. “How can we support [students] in deciding whether or not to use AI in teaching and learning?”
Back in December 2023, Beghetto was part of a unique collaboration between ASU faculty and technologists who explored the gap between disruptive technology and ethical considerations.
Each of the proposed design principles were evaluated on various AI initiatives and projects, including the AI Innovation Challenge and Syllabot. With applied case studies and critical evaluation, the technologists involved were able to apply the faculty-led principles to act as a robust guideline for enterprise AI development.
Elizabeth Reilley, executive director of AI Acceleration, noted the use of the new design principles as guidelines to follow, rather than immovable rules.
Amplify possibilities
Elevate fairness and access
Be agile Protect
“These principles guide our every day decisions as we create and innovate AI experiences for the enterprise,” Reilley said. “They’re meant to evolve alongside the technology and our collective understanding of it.”
Through his development of the AI Possibilities Lab, alongside his AIfocused courses, Beghetto encourages students to identify problems they think could be addressed with AI tools
“So, from the get go, they have to think ethically and principally about how this tool could be used, not only to benefit them, but to benefit the greater good,” Beghetto said
About the Faculty Ethics Committee on AI Technology
Working alongside the AI Acceleration team, the committee helps to ensure the university’s innovation remains grounded in human values
Established in December 2023, the committee includes Ron Beghetto, Diana Bowman, Andrew Maynard, Gary Marchant, Olivia Sheng, and Horacio Velasquez Melo. 41 ScantheQR codetoread thepublication.
AI at scale
Research matters
Researchers are harnessing AI to solve problems that matter most.
From developing a Robodog designed to assist humanity, to creating tools that outsmart hackers, the work spans security, health and mobility.
Through these innovations, ASU is pushing the boundaries of discovery with real-world impact.
AIgivesahelpinghand toX-raydiagnoses
Health and technology
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A team of Arizona State University researchers built a new AI tool called Ark+ to help doctors read chest X‑rays more accurately and improve health care outcomes.
Chest X-rays are the most common medical imaging tool, but interpreting them can be difficult. Rare or emerging diseases often go undetected as seen early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arizona State University researchers have developed Ark+, an artificial intelligence tool that improves accuracy and speed in reading chest X-rays In a recent Nature study, Ark+ outperformed systems from Google and Microsoft in detecting both common and rare lung diseases
“Ark+ is designed to be an open, reliable and ultimately useful tool in real-world health care systems Ultimately, we want AI to help doctors save lives.”
JIANMING‘JIMMY’LIANG, PROFESSORINTHE COLLEGEOFHEALTH SOLUTIONS,ASU
Unlike most AI models that rely only on images, Ark+ was trained on more than 700,000 X-rays plus the physicians’ notes tied to each scan This expert input allowed Ark+ to “learn from knowledge, not just raw data,” improving its accuracy and adaptability.
Liang’s team envisions Ark+ as a foundation for future medical AI, adaptable to CTs, MRIs, and other imaging. By making it fully open, they hope to advance fair, accurate, and accessible health care worldwide
Key features include
Foundation model: trained on diverse global datasets. Open access: code and pretrained models are public. Quick learning: identifies rare diseases with limited examples.
Adaptability: fine-tunes to new conditions without retraining.
Fair and private: reduces bias and protects patient data.
AI-poweredRobodog that'sbeingdesignedto helphumanity
Robotics and accessibility WRITTENBYKELLYDEVOS, SCHOOLOFCOMPUTINGAND AUGMENTEDINTELLIGENCE
While most dogs enjoy belly rubs, robotic dogs at Arizona State University are preparing for life-saving missions.
Meet the Unitree Go2 a four-legged robot with artificial intelligence, LiDAR, cameras and a voice interface Under the leadership of Ransalu Senanayake, assistant professor of computer science and engineering in the Ira A Fulton Schools of Engineering, the robot is being trained for tasks from searchand-rescue to guiding the visually impaired.
PHOTOSBYERENSADIKOĞLU,ASU
Eren Sadıkoğlu, who is currently pursuing his master’s degree in robotics and autonomous systems, poses with a humanoid robot in the LENS Lab.
Senanayake, founder of the Laboratory for Learning Evaluation and Naturalization of Systems (LENS Lab), is developing AI models that allow robots to adapt to realworld environments.
“We’re not just writing code for robots. We’re creating tools to solve problems that matter, like saving lives and making the world more accessible.”
RANSALUSENANAYAKE, ASSISTANTPROFESSORIN THEIRAA.FULTON SCHOOLSOFENGINEERING
Senanayake envisions a future where robots support first responders, assist at home and expand accessibility.
“The future of robotics is exciting, and I hope our research brings these technologies to the communities that need them most,” he says.
Ross Maciejewski, director of the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, adds: “By blending AI with robotics, we’re creating future leaders who will deliver transformative solutions ”
At ASU, the next heroic companion may have circuits instead of fur.
ASUresearchercreates AI-poweredtoolsto outsmarthackers
Cybersecurity
WRITTENBYKELLYDEVOS, SCHOOLOFCOMPUTINGAND AUGMENTEDINTELLIGENCE
In cybersecurity, the most dangerous threats are the ones you never see coming A tiny flaw in code, a bug left behind years ago, or a hidden weakness buried deep in software can quietly sit unnoticed until the wrong person finds it. Attacks can happen in minutes, while finding and fixing the root cause can take months if it’s ever discovered at all
That urgency drives Tiffany Bao, assistant professor of computer science and engineering in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at Arizona State University Bao recently earned a prestigious 2025 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to support her bold research in automated cybersecurity. Her project, SE-bot, is designed to help computers think more like expert security analysts by guiding symbolic execution, a powerful but notoriously difficult technique for uncovering vulnerabilities.
By training SE-bot to predict, adapt and even anticipate problems, Bao aims to make advanced security tools available to more people not just specialists.
Her work also includes educational initiatives like high school camps and gamified platforms that help students gain confidence in cybersecurity. For Bao, the goal is clear: empower more people to protect more systems, and close the gap in a world where invisible threats are everywhere.
pictured with her laptop in a desert landscape.
PHOTOBYERIKAGRONEK,ASU
Tiffany Bao,
AIresearchatASU drivesinnovationsin roadsafety
Smart cities
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AUGMENTEDINTELLIGENCE
PHOTOCREDIT: MARCO-ALEXISCHAIRA
Driving may feel routine, but it remains one of the most dangerous daily activities Road traffic collisions are still the leading cause of death for children and young adults worldwide. As autonomous vehicles and smart systems become more common, Arizona State University researchers are developing new ways to make streets safer for everyone.
Yezhou “YZ” Yang, associate professor in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at ASU, is advancing computer vision a field of artificial intelligence that helps machines perceive the world through sensors and cameras. His team recently introduced eTraM, an event-based traffic monitoring system that records hours of data on lighting, weather and road conditions. Unlike traditional cameras, eTraM prioritizes privacy by collecting data rather than identifiable images 50
YEZHOU“YZ”YANG ASSOCIATEPROFESSOR,SCAI
With this information, Yang and colleagues are building machine learning models to help city planners redesign intersections, adjust traffic signals and improve road safety The research has already gained traction, with systems on campus spotting risks like near misses after dark
To ensure global impact, ASU faculty are partnering with the International Road Federation to train transportation leaders through workshops. Their goal: give planners the tools to harness AI for safer, smarter streets At ASU, the road to safer transportation is already under construction.
PHOTOBYMARCOALEXISCHAIRA,ASU
“I'm hopeful that at this institution we can figure out how to use this to enhance learning, enhance outcomes, enhance scale and enhance speed."
ASUPRESIDENT,MICHAELM.CROW
AI can be a great equalizer, making information and education available to millions of people and creating new kinds of universities if we don’t fear it, says Arizona State University President Michael Crow.
Crow addressed hundreds of people during AI Day at ASU, a daylong event sponsored by ASU Enterprise Technology that included breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, gaming, demonstrations and an expo
“But more than anything, think about all the people not in this room, all over the planet. Think about all the people waiting for someone to figure out some new way to enhance learning.”
ASU became the first university to collaborate with OpenAI, in Jan 2024, resulting in more than 500 AI-powered projects across the university.
Everyone in the ASU community to acquire a free ChatGPT license starting in Oct.. Every student, faculty member, researcher and staff member can request access to GPT-5, the newest version, to boost student success, accelerate research and enhance collaboration.
In his talk during AI Day, Crow said that the new technology is being disparaged much the same way that writing and printing presses were seen as evil hundreds of years ago.
PHOTOSBYTABBSMOISER,ASU
Crow described how even the great philosopher Plato was opposed to the written word, preferring to keep education among the elite. Hundreds of years later, there was enormous opposition to printing presses.
“And now we have people looking at this computational moment with the kinds of tools that we now have and they're saying the exact same things as the fools that were against writing as a technology and the fools that were against books as a technology,” he said
AI is a tool, Crow said. “It has no soul. It has no identity. It has no political this, or political that. It is nothing but a calculator, calculating things that we can't calculate, calculating things that we can't understand,” he said.
And it can make the sum of human knowledge available to everyone
“It has taken us hundreds and hundreds of years to get to that point. And then we get this new technology that will allow us to accelerate all of this " Crow warned that it will take work to make AI a positive force.
“Do we need to be cautious? We need to be cautious with all of our technologies,” he said, adding that AI platforms need to pay attention to social implications.
