UA Among National Leaders with AI-Readiness Initiative Launch

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama will be among the first higher education institutions in the country addressing the steady growth of artificial intelligence campuswide when the UA AI Experience launches this fall.

The new platform, built as an interactive curriculum, will ensure all faculty, staff and students have the skills to build AI fluency and be able to:

• Develop expertise to engage and interact with this evolving technology

• Discern when AI use is appropriate

• Create effective prompting strategies

• Use AI tools ethically and responsibly

• Protect data, privacy and academic integrity

• Build necessary skills required for the future of advanced workforce

Currently, several institutions in the U.S. offer measurable AI training and guidelines for their student body. Only a few offer that to their entire campus community.

"The University of Alabama is setting a national standard for preparing students, faculty and staff to use AI thoughtfully and responsibly with the UA AI Experience," said Dr. Claire Major, faculty director in the UA Teaching Academy. "As we bring our community together to approach AI with discernment, informed judgment and accountability, we are building a shared vocabulary and common expectations for appropriate use and helping define what informed and principled AI engagement looks like across higher education."

As the use of AI continues to expand across academic, research and administrative contexts, the University plans to establish a coherent, campus-wide foundation for effective, responsible and future-ready engagement with these tools.

"Artificial Intelligence is at the center of how the world is evolving. At The University of Alabama, we prepare our students for the real world unlike any other institution," said Dr. Peter J. Mohler, president of The University of Alabama. "The UA AI Experience will be the catalyst for faculty and staff to continue ethical and informed AI practices and prepare our students to become principled critical thinkers in a rapidly changing global society."

Good to Know

• It takes only three hours over five modules to complete the course - 100% online and flexible to accommodate busy schedules.
• Faculty, staff and students will access the course via Blackboard.
• All students will be automatically enrolled in the course beginning Fall 2026, while faculty and staff will register individually.
• The course will be offered each semester.

Launch Timeline

Summer 2026

The pilot course will launch with a limited number of participants. This experience will allow OTIDE and the Teaching Academy to gain valuable feedback and refine the course before fully launching.

Fall 2026

The official course will launch to the broader campus. The UA AI Experience initiative will be consistently evaluated and evolving as needed throughout its launch and the life of the program.

Visit the UA AI Experience website for more information.