Artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize the way we work, learn and live our daily lives at a scale not seen since the Industrial Revolution. In the past year, Brown has taken numerous steps to advance the University’s preparation for this new era. Last December, the University announced that Michael Littman PhD’96, would become Brown’s first provost for AI. The University also recently announced a $20 million grant designated towards a new AI institute studying the relationship between AI agents and their human users. Although these are positive first steps, Brown must capitalize on its momentum by introducing an AI literacy requirement, among other initiatives, to prepare undergraduates for entering an increasingly tech-driven workforce.
In an interview with the Brown Alumni Magazine, Littman commented on the remarkable scope of his role, which includes everything from the integration of AI in course curricula to the automation of university paperwork, demonstrating the University’s ambitious approach towards AI. That being said, devising a universal policy is nearly impossible given that each department has unique demands. An English class will approach AI very differently than a computer science class, for example. To successfully integrate AI into Brown’s curriculum, the University should instead offer an alternative, yet required, space for students to fully engage with the complexities of the technology.
One possible solution is to institute an AI literacy requirement. The College already requires that students take two writing-designated courses because it believes writing is an essential part of the “intellectual process.” As AI becomes more advanced, it will continue to encroach on the intellectual process in ways that we cannot anticipate. Rather than be left in the dust, we must be prepared to confront a world in which competent writing skills alone are not enough for individuals to engage academically. Brown should create an AI literacy course designation specifically granted to courses that utilize and educate students about AI. Given its versatile applications, these courses could span across departments, making the requirement relevant to every student.
Beyond this course designation, the University can require additional AI modules as part of Brown’s first-year orientation, similar to how it requires learning about alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct. The content could include an overview of Brown’s various policies surrounding AI, alongside introductory videos on how the technology should be approached in the academic setting.
Furthermore, many courses at Brown have already implemented “AI-TAs,” including CSCI 0150 “Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science.” These chatbots are large language models fine-tuned on course material and programmed to help students learn, without giving away explicit answers. These chatbots are not a replacement for human teaching assistants, but rather a supplement for when students are unable to attend office hours or TA sessions, or when such sessions are exceedingly busy. Expanding the use of AI-TAs across courses, by creating a centralized platform for AI-TAs at Brown, could be a way to get more students to engage with AI while remaining compliant with the Academic Code of Conduct.
By establishing an AI Literacy requirement, providing first-years clear guidance on the University’s expectations and creating AI-TAs, the University can be assured that it will continue to provide a world-class education in the 21st century.
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