The University of Iowa is launching a new initiative that will spark the next chapter of AI integration for faculty and staff.
The AI Discovery Initiative, supported by more than $1 million in P3 strategic plan implementation funding over three years, will expand access to AI tools, professional development, and collaborative learning. The campuswide effort is designed to help faculty and staff build the skills and confidence to use AI responsibly in their research, teaching, and daily work while encouraging collaboration across disciplines.
"Artificial intelligence is transforming every discipline," says Barry Thomas, associate provost for faculty and strategic operations. "The AI Discovery Initiative is about giving our faculty and staff the opportunity to explore these technologies, develop new skills, and discover how AI can increase their expertise."
Lowering the barrier to getting started
For many faculty and staff, the biggest challenge of working with AI is getting started. New tools appear almost daily, costs can be confusing, and security and purchasing requirements often create obstacles before beginning.
The initiative addresses those challenges through a new AI token program managed by Information Technology Services. Faculty and staff will be able to request secure, university-supported access to leading AI platforms, including agentic tools that can write code, analyze data, automate workflows, and build applications. The program is designed to encourage experimentation and help shape the university’s long-term AI strategy.
Access to technology is only part of the initiative. A new Faculty AI Upskilling Program will help faculty develop the knowledge to bring AI into their research, scholarship, and creative work, with support that may include protected time, training, mentorship, workshops, and computing resources. The goal is to help faculty apply AI confidently within their own fields while opening new opportunities for collaboration and strengthening their competitiveness for external research funding.
Leading the conversation on campus and beyond
The initiative also creates new ways for faculty, staff, and students to learn from leaders in the field and to weigh in on the questions AI raises.
Through the AI Research and Discovery Series, departments and colleges can bring nationally recognized scholars to campus to discuss how AI is reshaping research and creative work, with time set aside for discussion.
A new AI and Society Panel Series will invite researchers, practitioners, students, and members of the public to examine topics such as AI and the law, AI and the future of work, and AI and the environment. An AI in Education Summit on Jan. 29, 2027 will focus on how AI is changing teaching and learning, featuring keynote speakers, faculty-led sessions, and hands-on workshops.
Together, the programs represent a coordinated investment in helping the university community build the expertise, confidence, and partnerships to advance human potential with AI.