{"id":350,"date":"2023-01-13T12:31:45","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T17:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research-multi-dev.utk.edu\/energy-dev\/?page_id=350"},"modified":"2026-09-21T11:42:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T15:42:53","slug":"ai-for-education-and-workforce-development","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.utk.edu\/aitn\/research-areas\/ai-for-education-and-workforce-development\/","title":{"rendered":"AI for Education and Workforce Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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ai for education and workforce development<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Equipping students and workers to excel in an AI-driven future<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Students learning in a Supply Chain class. \n\nPhoto by Jack Parker<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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As a land-grant university, UT aims to connect<\/a> not only our students but every Tennessean with innovations in education aligned with 21st-century workforce needs. Many of those needs\u2014today and for years to come\u2014relate to the application<\/a> of AI in a vast array of industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UT faculty are breaking down barriers between people and the benefits of AI. Their research informs teacher preparation programs, curriculum development, and workforce training. They teach educators, students, and professionals to use AI tools confidently, ethically, and productively. They also provide guidance in using AI to create technology and business innovations that solve complex problems beyond personal productivity. Their work is preparing Tennesseans to fill evolving and emerging roles that strengthen the economy. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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UT’s Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UT is integrating AI into education at every level, from K\u201312 to higher education to workforce training. On campus, new courses, degree programs, and interdisciplinary faculty communities expand expertise while initiatives like the provost\u2019s AI in Higher Education program guide the adoption of AI tools and policies. Faculty are bringing AI into the classroom with applications ranging from chatbots that support business students to immersive AI environments for language learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond campus, we\u2019re helping to lead the national effort to bring AI education to all K\u201312 students and shaping the ways in which teachers and students develop AI literacy, creativity, and critical thinking. UT researchers are studying AI\u2019s effects on workforce needs and partnering with schools, community colleges, non-profit organizations, and technical programs to design AI-ready career pathways. Through AI TechX, UT extends this work to industry, co-developing training programs in sectors like manufacturing, supply chain, and health care to ensure that Tennessee\u2019s workforce remains competitive in the AI economy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Our approach to AI is highly pedagogical: How can we educate ourselves to educate our students to use it responsibly? How can we ensure AI becomes a tool, not to do your work for you, but to assist and empower both educators and students? With a grant from AI Tennessee, we organized a unique symposium bringing together humanities and social sciences specialists, computer scientists, and technologists to enrich collaborative opportunities and outcomes.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Anne-H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Miller, Associate Professor of French and Riggsby Director of UT\u2019s Marco Institute for Medieval and Renaissance Studies<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Future Forward Innovation Grant Awarded to Build AI Career Pathway<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

UT\u2019s College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies and its partners have been awarded funding to develop an AI and data science career pathway that prepares Tennessee high school students for emerging roles in health care, technology, and other sectors.

Learn more about this partnership<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Schelble\u2019s ARO Agreement to Help Create More Secure Human-AI Teams<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beau Schelble was awarded a three-year cooperative agreement from the US Army Research Office to study how to prevent attacks that undermine the performance of human-AI teams by targeting task accuracy, coordination, trust, and situational<\/ins> awareness.

Learn more about the research.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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UTIA Team Wins Grant to Advance AI Education, Career Preparation<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A USDA grant has launched the creation of a hands-on curriculum to teach future farmers, agriculture students, and community leaders about coding, drones, robotics, computer vision, and other AI-related agricultural technologies that produce resilient food supplies.

Learn more about this multiyear project.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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UT Faculty Use Artificial Intelligence to Solve Problems In and Outside the Classroom <\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Associate Professor ChuanRen (Charles) Liu of UT\u2019s Haslam College of Business demonstrates how UT faculty members are harnessing the power of AI to solve real-world challenges in school and business contexts, starting with a specialized chatbot for business students.

Read about Liu\u2019s innovation and insights.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Facilities & Initiatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UT faculty are working in classrooms and conference rooms, on campus, and around the state to prepare educators, researchers, students, employers, and employees to use and benefit from emerging AI technologies.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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