Shaping AI in the Liberal Arts

Shaping AI in the Liberal Arts

The College of Liberal Arts’ DSI (Data Science Initiative) recently hosted Shaping AI in the Liberal Arts, a thought-provoking event exploring the evolving role of artificial intelligence in teaching, learning, and scholarship. Attendees from across the college came together to tackle the big questions: How should AI be integrated into classrooms? What’s at risk, or gained, when machines become part of the learning process?

The event sparked both enthusiasm and unease. From AI-assisted writing to ethical implications in research, conversations circled a central tension: Does AI enhance or erode the learning experience, especially in foundational areas like writing and critical thinking, where the process is as important as the product?

“AI can be a powerful support tool,” said one faculty participant. “But if we skip over the messy middle, the drafting, the struggling, the feedback, we lose something essential to intellectual development.”

Many attendees highlighted the need for clearer, more consistent policies for both students and instructors. Some faculty expressed concern about the uneven pace of AI adoption, noting that while students are often experimenting with tools like ChatGPT or Grammarly AI, many instructors have yet to explore them meaningfully, widening the gap in expectations and experience. 

Discussions also surfaced around the trustworthiness of AI-generated information, especially in disciplines that rely on nuance, context, and non-digital sources. As one student put it, “AI can help with grammar and structure, but it doesn’t replace the hard work of thinking.”

A standout theme: AI literacy is no longer optional. Participants urged the university to adopt shared frameworks and training opportunities that support ethical, informed, and discipline-specific AI use. The collective takeaway? This is not a time to wait and see, it's a moment to lean in, get informed, and shape AI’s role in liberal arts education with intentionality.

Want to keep the conversation going? Curious about AI? Interested in attending future events? Below are ways to stay connected and get involved,  in CLA, with the DSI, across UMN, and beyond.