Generative AI is raising novel questions about how we work, learn and create, and CU Boulder is meeting this moment with intention, flexibility and a strong commitment to learner‑centered education.

CU Boulder’s colleges and departments across campus are addressing generative AI in ways that reflect their disciplines and the university’s shared values. Currently, there are at least 13 university courses with AI in the title, with nearly 600 students enrolled this spring. 

For example, the College of Engineering & Applied Science offers a variety of courses on AI, including a fully online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MS-AI) via Coursera. In the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information, faculty are creating space for critical dialogues about the implications of AI for creativity, authorship and identity. 

A campuswide AI Literacy Foundations Canvas course, developed by the Office of Information Technology and the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL), introduces faculty, staff and students to what generative AI is, how it works, ethical considerations and CU‑approved AI tools, among other topics. From there, students can explore AI through their coursework, career preparation and co‑curricular opportunities. 

Career readiness is a central part of this work. For example, the Office of Academic and Learning Innovation provides CU students with free access to Career Academy, through which they can gain skills working with generative AI tools and earn job-ready credentials equivalent to entry-level experience at companies such as Google, IBM and Microsoft. 

These opportunities complement CU Boulder’s continued commitment to fostering uniquely human skills that technology cannot replace, such as critical thinking, ethical judgment, empathy, creativity and intercultural competence.

CU Boulder is also taking a clear and values‑driven approach to academic integrity in the context of generative AI. Instructors are strongly encouraged to define course‑specific expectations through AI syllabus statements, developed with a Boulder Faculty Assembly working group and in dialogue with students.

Transparency and dialogue are key to ensuring students understand precisely what uses of AI are and are not permitted in each course, given widely varying policies. In support of creating that dialogue, instructors have access to CTL guidance and tools around teaching, learning and AI, while student academic integrity is supported via restorative justice practices that prioritize learning, trust, respect and responsibility.

Of critical importance, CU Boulder maintains strong faculty governance. Instructors retain full autonomy over whether and how generative AI is used in their courses, with campus support provided to all campus educators regardless of their individual course policies. 

For example, CTL facilitates a biweekly Teaching, Learning, and AI Community of Practice and a two-day AI Summer Design Studio to bring educators from across campus together to explore and discuss diverse perspectives on AI in the classroom. CTL and Continuing Education also host AI Literacy Ambassador programs through which instructors develop teaching and learning innovations to address AI in their discipline.

As generative AI evolves, CU Boulder faculty, staff and students are actively shaping its role in teaching and learning. Through shared reflection, open dialogue and collaboration across campus, we are approaching AI thoughtfully and intentionally, grounded in academic freedom, ethical responsibility and a deep belief in human learning.