Adoption of AI at Wentworth: Innovation, Ethics, and Education

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is everywhere, whether you realize it or not.

The photo you saw on Instagram, the voice you heard in that commercial, and even this paragraph could all hypothetically be the result of AI. The line between reality and artificial creation is blurring, leading to serious questions around safeguards that need to be put in place.

At the same time, many organizations-including Wentworth Institute of Technology-have been safely utilizing AI in various ways for some time. Faculty and staff have employed AI in labs and classrooms, boosting productivity in the office and (perhaps most importantly) passing on that knowledge to students for use in ethical ways.

The future of AI at Wentworth and beyond poses both questions and exciting possibilities. We spoke to institutional leaders about the topic and what influence and responsibility a technical university like ours has regarding the larger community.

BALANCING INNOVATION WITH RESPONSIBILITY

AI technology continues to evolve at a lightning pace. Leadership at Wentworth recognizes the importance of being nimble while advancing a digital transformation as a STEAM institution. And faculty must prepare students to use current and future AI tools responsibly, according to both President Mark A. Thompson and Executive Vice President and Provost Sophia Maggelakis.

The two established an AI Steering Committee, a multi-department group charged with developing a comprehensive policy and process on AI use, incorporating input from faculty, staff, students, and external experts.

"We additionally plan to invite all members of our university community to join us in navigating this landscape," said Maggelakis, noting that there are already AI subcommittees formed across Wentworth's schools. "Together, we can harness the power of AI to drive positive change and uphold the highest standards of academic excellence."

Vice President of Digital Technology Services Vish Paradkar feels similarly about getting everyone on the same page.

"We want to embrace it. We are not resistors," Paradkar said. "We want to explore AI but be cautious as well."

Paradkar added that there are some existing university policies that can apply to AI, but that there is a need for a separate policy and a campaign to promote it once it is finalized.

"Many policies we've seen have focused only on academics," said Associate General Counsel Beth Devonshire. "AI impacts everyone, so we wanted to make sure our policy is inclusive, and that people understand guardrails as we encourage its use."

Devonshire noted that the Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from Enrollment, Human Resources, Academic Affairs, and other campus stakeholders, aims to create a unified approach to policymaking by leveraging their varied viewpoints

"There will be overarching guidelines and then each department will have the ability to make its own guidelines for use and disclosure," she said.

Devonshire also notes that any guidelines established will be fluid as the technology changes.

ACADEMICALLY FOCUSED

While AI is a new phenomenon to some, it has been in practice at Wentworth for a while with faculty utilizing AI tools in their curriculum:

• The thesis-based Master of Science in Applied Computer Science has a specific concentration in AI and machine learning where students model, analyze, and design computing processes and systems

• Biomedical Engineering students learn about AI theory in disease diagnosis and healthcare analytics

• A number of courses exist in areas including AI for Gaming, Classical AI, and Embedded AI, among others

The AI Steering Committee does not focus on curriculum development, but this is an area where Maggelakis and her team are highly active. She and Thompson plan to introduce new courses and programs specifically focused on AI and its applications.

"The demand for AI skills in the job market is rapidly increasing," she said. "Our students should learn about AI, and they should learn by using AI."

Maggelakis adds that the subject raises important ethical and societal questions. Specialized courses can provide students with the knowledge to address issues such as bias, privacy, and the implications of automation.

She and Thompson also stress the need for faculty to continue to adjust existing courses to remain relevant in an AI world. As the university researches and discusses further, approaches taken could include:

• Introducing AI-related modules or sections within existing courses to expose students to the basics of AI and its relevance to the subject

• Highlighting real-world applications of AI in various fields to demonstrate its impact and importance

• Using project-based assessments where students solve real-world problems using AI techniques

Thompson and Maggelakis also note that Wentworth's seven-year academic programs master plan will be modified to include AI-related provisions.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS

"Ensuring AI is used ethically and responsibly is very important for maintaining integrity, fairness, and transparency," said Thompson.

Various groups are currently being formed to produce frameworks and policies around the use of AI by the Wentworth community.

"Such work will ensure that AI systems and their purposes are clearly communicated to all stakeholders, and that we protect the privacy and data of students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders, and implement robust security measures to prevent misuse or breaches of AI systems," Thompson said.

Regular workshops and seminars will be held to foster an ethical AI culture, inviting experts from academia and industry to share insights. Topics could include bias in AI, privacy concerns, and the impact of AI on society. Forums will also exist where faculty, staff, and students can discuss AI ethics, share resources, raise concerns, and provide real-world case studies that highlight both positive and negative uses of AI, illustrating ethical dilemmas and how they were addressed.

Ethics are certainly important to Robbin Beauchamp. As the Assistant Provost for Cooperative Education and Career Development, Beauchamp heads a team that is looking into how AI can be used to help students prepare for co-ops.

"Ethics need to be taught, and you need to be discerning," she said. "AI doesn't have all the answers and sometimes it makes stuff up."

Beauchamp recommends that students work in conjunction with a Co-op Advisor or other Wentworth employee to utilize a combination of AI and human support. The Co-ops & Careers office helps with resume and cover letter development, acknowledging that AI can help in such areas.

"If somebody uses AI to create a cover letter, we coach them on how to turn it into their own voice," said Beauchamp. "You don't want to show up as a different person in an actual interview."

AI TRAINING

Achieving AI proficiency-or even expertise-takes training, of course, and Wentworth administrators have already devised plans.

"Training is essential to ensure faculty can effectively integrate AI into their teaching, scholarship, and creative activities and service roles," said Maggelakis.

Professional development funds will be allocated for workshops and seminars on specific disciplines and faculty and staff will be encouraged to enroll in online AI courses. Wentworth will additionally promote advanced certificate programs in AI to ensure faculty and staff gain recognized credentials, and the university can partner with online education providers to offer tailored AI courses for faculty and staff, inviting industry experts and researchers to provide guest lectures and share real-world AI applications.

On the staff side, Paradkar has been looking into online courses and other resources for employees, as well as forums for knowledge-sharing. Beauchamp notes that her team recently completed a four-week AI boot camp with plans for future training.

"Our advisors should be available to students for AI-related advice just like they are any other career-related topic," Beauchamp said.

DTS and TLC are additionally teaming up to create an AI@Wentworth Guidelines document aimed at improving exploration of campus-wide AI tools, as well as steps community members can take to learn more about AI and engage with the right support offices at the university.

Workday is one example of tools already being used by the Wentworth community that employ AI in some features

AN EXCITING FUTURE

"Being open to change is in our DNA and we see AI as a new wave of technology that we need to be nimble about," said Paradkar. "We want to transform our operations and curriculum to ensure students are marketable and that our operations leverage the new tech. For faculty and staff, people want to make mundane tasks easier so that they can focus on what they are passionate about and be more efficient."

DTS is reviewing AI tools, providing recommendations, and fielding inquiries into specific programs. At the enterprise level, the division is exploring the infrastructure that would be required for additional processing power for the academic use of machine learning.

"We have a high-performance computing lab in CEIS but anticipate we will run out of capacity, so we're looking at a scalable cloud solution for power and storage."

Many of Wentworth's core applications-including Workday and Microsoft products-already utilize AI. Paradkar also notes various chatbots in use around campus.

Beauchamp and her team are looking into AI for creating sample resumes for each academic major. Doing so would provide Wentworth with free templates versus paying an agency thousands of dollars to do the same thing.

"Integrating AI into university operations can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the overall student and staff experience," said Thompson.

Additional areas where AI can be utilized include:

• Managing room bookings, exam schedules, and automated form processing, such as admissions applications, financial aid forms, and HR paperwork

• Advanced chatbots to handle common questions related to admissions, financial aid, course registrations, IT support, and campus services that can help students with day-to-day tasks and managing deadlines

• Systems to monitor and optimize energy usage across campus buildings, reducing costs and promoting sustainability

• Enhanced campus security through intelligent surveillance systems that can detect unusual activities and alert security personnel

• Intelligent tutoring systems that provide real-time feedback and support to students in various subjects

Thompson and Maggelakis note that before more heavily integrating AI into curricula and university operations, they will involve faculty, staff, and students in the planning and implementation process to ensure that AI solutions meet their needs, and they will begin with pilot projects to test AI applications in specific areas before scaling up. There are also plans to form partnerships with industry leaders and other universities to enhance research capabilities, share resources, and foster student and faculty exchange programs.

"As a university, we are uniquely positioned to lead the way in navigating this landscape," said Thompson. "By fully exploring and leveraging AI, we can enhance our educational offerings, advance research capabilities, improve administrative efficiency, and make a positive impact on the community and beyond."

If you have questions around AI usage at Wentworth, contact [email protected].