Pennsylvania State University is rolling out a new artificial intelligence (AI) training program aimed at building AI literacy among university employees and students as part of a broader effort to prepare its community to use the technology responsibly and effectively.
The training – called AI Essentials – is launching first for employees and will soon be offered to some students through the summer term, with plans to expand access to all students beginning in the fall.
The online course is part of the university’s broader AI Transformation initiative and is aligned with its recently released AI Literacy Framework, which is designed to guide how students, faculty, and staff understand and engage with AI tech, the university said on April 23.
University officials said the program is intended to equip participants with a combination of technical knowledge, ethical awareness, critical thinking skills, and practical applications needed to navigate AI in both academic and professional settings.
“By organizing the course into modules focused on technical knowledge, ethical awareness, critical thinking and practical application, we are empowering students, faculty and staff to engage with AI as informed, responsible participants both within the University and beyond,” said Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos.
“By aligning our AI literacy programming with the release of a new enterprise service, we are positioning Penn State at the forefront of institutions embedding comprehensive AI literacy into the undergraduate experience and in preparing our community to lead thoughtfully in an evolving technological landscape,” Sotiropoulos added.
The training course consists of four modules, beginning with a foundational overview of what AI is and how it works, followed by lessons focused on evaluating AI outputs, understanding ethical considerations such as bias and privacy, and applying those concepts in real-world scenarios.
A final module introduces the AI tools available at Penn State. It emphasizes responsible and transparent use of AI in academic work, including when and how such tools should be used.
Officials said the training is being introduced alongside the launch of the university’s new AI Studio suite of AI services, allowing employees to build literacy as they begin using the platform.
“Providing faculty and staff with early access is a critical first step in building AI literacy, allowing time for experimentation, reflection and planning ahead of student access this summer and fall,” said Crystal Ramsay, the university’s senior director for Teaching and Learning with Technology.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to develop new and more advanced learning opportunities specifically for faculty and staff, graduate students and undergraduates to address their unique needs,” Ramsay added.
While the course will not be required by the university, officials said it is expected to serve as a foundation for future, more advanced AI learning opportunities and may be incorporated into coursework or programming by individual departments.
“Penn State community members are strongly encouraged to participate in this learning opportunity,” the university said.
