AI@USD

cool techy designs

AI@USD

A Message from the President and Provost

USD's approach to artificial intelligence (AI) is guided by our Catholic mission, our university’s values, and the profound moral framework offered in Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas. Further, the approach is built upon prior institutional efforts and implements many of the recommendations offered in the AI Steering Committee’s (AISC) final report.

Read the Full Message

USD's Approach - PDF

Read USD's Approach to Artificial Intelligence

Read the Approach

Full Report – PDF

AISC (Artificial Intelligence Steering Committee) Report

Read the Report

Where We Have Been: Four Years of Building Our Foundation

Our History

2022–23 Joint Taskforce
Provost–Senate Joint Taskforce convenes, delivering core recommendations.

2024 CAS Council
College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Council integrates essential faculty perspectives.

2025–26 Infrastructure
Technical infrastructure deployed, including campuswide Google AI tools and the AI@USD portal

May 2026 AISC Report
AI Steering Committee (AISC) delivers its comprehensive final report.

While the AISC was doing its work…

Current Progress

Grassroots Innovation
Academic units independently piloting local, discipline-specific AI approaches.

Data Security
Enterprise-wide Google Gemini and Notebook deployment focused on giving access while protecting individual and university data.

Rigorous Vetting
Tool Review Committee establishes compliance and data privacy standards.

Appropriate Use
General Counsel offers foundational guidance.

Bringing it All Together through Mission Alignment

Mission Alignment

Anchoring our Approach in our Core Values & Mission, and in Magnifica Humanitas

Values and Mission

  • Deep reverence for USD's distinct values, identity, and mission.
  • Ensuring technological progress always serves human dignity and the common good.
  • Connecting our strategy to Lighting the Way to 2030.
  • Grounding our approaches in the many community-developed recommendations of the AISC Report.

Pope Leo's Guidance

  • Orienting our campus framework toward the Pope's global call for ethical stewardship
  • Grounding our approach in his encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas

Priorities for the Coming Two Years

Next Steps

Pillar 1
Clarity & Guidance

  • Enable faculty to develop and share clear syllabi guidance for students
  • Collaborate with Senate and General Counsel to update Academic Integrity Policy 4.8, as needed
  • Develop guidance, training, and professional development for interested staff and faculty
  • Discuss how to offer AI foundations and ethics experiences for all students

Pillar 2
Incentivizing Ideation

  • Grants to empower faculty to address AI in a class, program, or across disciplines
  • Grants to empower staff to explore responsibly using AI to aid their work
  • Incentivize faculty-student research partnerships to consider role of AI in research, scholarship, and creative work

Pillar 3
Fostering Ongoing Dialogue

  • Invite thought leaders who can foster cross-campus dialogue about various facets of AI
  • Sponsor campus “What does AI mean for us?” dialogue sessions at staff-unit, academic department levels

Our Plan for Implementation

How Will We Do All This?

Central Coordination
Coordination will be provided by Provost's Office:

  • Associate Provost Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick
  • TWO faculty fellows to assist with implementation (will be hired in Fall 2026)

Sustained Governance

  • Create an advisory group, composed of faculty, staff, and students (co-chairs TBD).
  • Provides guidance to Provost’s team, assesses USD progress, offers additional recommendations.
  • AI Tools Review Committee will continue to make recommendations on potential new tool adoption. PAT makes final decision. General Counsel continues to provide campus legal guidance, as needed

Unified Information Resource

  • AI@USD website will develop into a common, unified, source of information that describes university-wide efforts, highlights local unit-level activities and initiatives, points to resources, offers guidance, and answers questions.