Penn State launches AI literacy course for employees
The Pennsylvania State University on Thursday announced the launch of a new program called AI Essentials, a training course designed to provide “the knowledge, skills and ethical grounding needed to engage with AI responsibly and effectively across academic and professional contexts,” according to a university announcement.
“By organizing the course into modules focused on technical knowledge, ethical awareness, critical thinking and practical application, we are empowering students, faculty and staff to engage with AI as informed, responsible participants both within the University and beyond,” Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos said in the announcement. “By aligning our AI literacy programming with the release of a new enterprise service, we are positioning Penn State at the forefront of institutions embedding comprehensive AI literacy into the undergraduate experience and in preparing our community to lead thoughtfully in an evolving technological landscape. I want to thank the AI Coordinating Council for their ongoing leadership and the instructional designers who developed this curriculum, with the support of subject matter experts, for our community.”
At the same time, the university is also launching AI Studio, a suite of services designed “to ensure Penn Staters have the opportunity to expand their AI literacy as they explore and navigate the new AI platform.” The university said the course takes one hour to complete.
The move to ramp up its AI offerings puts Penn State in a growing category of universities that have identified artificial intelligence as an essential tool for educational and professional settings. The University of Dayton, for instance, will in the fall begin offering students a new curriculum centered on AI.
