Dear Members of the George Washington University Community,
The university continues to build momentum in advancing our strategic framework, and central to that effort is our ongoing work to develop a cohesive and comprehensive university-wide artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. Aligned with GW’s mission and values, such a strategy will ensure that the university is thoughtful and responsible in assessing when and when not to harness AI. It will also equip our faculty, staff, and students to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by this technology, enabling them to approach it in ways that are well-informed and help the university continue to move forward.
Drawing on the concentration of expertise we have built over many years, the AI mapping exercise launched last fall represents the first step toward that strategy. We are pleased to share that the mapping team has concluded its work assessing current AI uses, opportunities, and risks across research, teaching, and operations. Their report can be reviewed here.
Thanks to broad community and stakeholder engagement over the past academic year, we have a deeper understanding of how we are navigating this moment, including the opportunities for innovation and pressing questions and challenges it poses. This feedback pointed toward the need for our AI strategy to offer clear, centralized direction at the same time as it supports customization that meets the needs of diverse teams across the university. To take the next step to build our comprehensive strategy, Professor Szajnfarber has agreed to serve as Special Advisor to the President and Provost on Artificial Intelligence for an initial three-year term. In this role, she will work closely with the university's leadership team, including the deans, to develop and implement a strategic plan that advances the university's goals and continues to position GW as a national leader in the thoughtful and responsible use of AI across all areas of the university, including education, research, and operations. To engage and inform the community, Professor Szajnfarber will also be leading critical institutional conversations focused on ensuring that all members of our community are supported in this transition, that expectations and options around the use of AI are clear, and that people are aware of and have access to AI resources to advance their work.
One of the reasons GW is so well positioned within the AI space is the collective and inspired work done by faculty who are affiliated with the GW Trustworthy AI Initiative (GW TAI), of which Professor Szajnfarber has served as the Faculty Director. Building on the initiative’s success in linking scholars, building bridges between disciplines, and forging industry partnerships, earlier this year the university identified it as the first major interdisciplinary research thrust aligned with the Strategic Framework. Since then, there has been robust engagement in a series of community conversations focused on transforming GW TAI into a university-level institute that will serve as an engine of impactful interdisciplinary research on trustworthy AI in systems and for society.
In taking on her role as special advisor, Professor Szajnfarber will be stepping down as faculty director of GW TAI. To ensure continuity of leadership, the university is soliciting internal nominations and self-nominations for the interim director of GW TAI. Information about how to apply is available here on the Provost’s Office website. Applications are due by Friday, August 14, and we expect to announce the interim director as soon as possible. Provost Balleisen will launch a national search for the permanent director this fall.
As we take this step forward, we want to reinforce the fact that we are guided by the university’s mission and values, including academic freedom, academic integrity, equity, and the importance of the learning process as well as by the need to respect and value human experience in our decision-making. Together, we are navigating a truly revolutionary moment that is changing the way we work, learn, and live. Let’s bring our OneGW spirit and continue to change our world for the better.
Sincerely,
Ellen M. Granberg
President
Edward J. Balleisen
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of History