Georgetown University aims to equip students with the discernment to engage with AI effectively while identifying and mitigating its potential harms. This approach mirrors lessons learned from earlier educational technology initiatives, such as the rise of MOOCs and the ITEL program, which fostered faculty experimentation and informed strategies for integrating online tools into learning.
To that end, the Georgetown Initiative on Pedagogical Uses of Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) supports faculty experimentation with AI across disciplines, fostering innovation in teaching and learning at all levels. At the request of the Office of the Provost, Randy Bass (Red House) and Eddie Maloney (CNDLS) led the initiative in partnership with faculty. A task force was appointed to guide the process, focusing on faculty support, proposal solicitation, pilot evaluation, and measuring success.
The first round of proposals received approximately 90 ideas, with 40 projects funded and implemented. These projects span three themes: “Rethinking Ways of Teaching,” “Researching New Ways of Working,” and “Improving the Student Experience.” With the launch of a Design Lab to facilitate collaboration and rolling funding opportunities, the IPAI initiative exemplifies Georgetown’s commitment to integrating AI into education while remaining true to its mission of forming future leaders. IPAI awarded $160,000 to 19 projects in its first round of funding. A second round in 2024 expanded this to $224,000 across 33 grants, including student “X-grants.
This work is generously supported by the Baker Trust for Transformative Learning and the Sonneborn Innovation Fund.
