Ohio State Introduces AI Fluency Program for Students

Published Date : 08/06/2025 

Ohio State University is taking a bold step by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into every major, making all students fluent in AI and its responsible application. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — While other institutions have been cracking down on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by students, Ohio State University (OSU) is embracing the technology. Starting this fall, every student at OSU will be required to become fluent in AI.

“Through AI Fluency, Ohio State students will be ‘bilingual’ — fluent in both their major field of study and the application of AI in that area,” said Ravi V. Bellamkonda, executive vice president and provost.

The AI Fluency Initiative will embed AI education throughout the undergraduate curriculum, prioritizing the incoming freshman class and beyond. The goal is to ensure that every Ohio State graduate is well-versed in AI and can responsibly apply it to advance their field.

The initiative comes at a time when AI is becoming increasingly prevalent in education. The Pew Research Center found that 26% of teenagers used ChatGPT for schoolwork in 2024, double the share in 2023. This rapid adoption has prompted OSU to take proactive steps to prepare its students for the future.

Steven Brown, an associate professor of philosophy at Ohio State, has already integrated AI into his courses. “A student walked up to me after turning in the first batch of AI-assisted papers and thanked me for such a fun assignment. And then when I graded them and found a lot of really creative ideas,” Brown said during a recent interview with Ohio State. “My favorite one is still a paper on karma and the practice of returning shopping carts.”

Ohio State will offer new general education courses and work with colleges to integrate AI fluency into coursework, expanding existing AI-focused course offerings. Each of Ohio’s 14 public universities has incorporated AI in some way, but OSU is the first to officially incorporate AI fluency into every major.

Students will be required to take an AI skills seminar, as stated in a press release. “Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we live, work, teach, and learn. In the not-so-distant future, every job, in every industry, is going to be impacted in some way by AI,” said Ohio State President Ted Carter.

Brown is one of several instructors who have already implemented AI into their courses. Some faculty found students were initially hesitant about AI. Subbu Kumarappan, an associate professor of economics and business, noted that while students enjoyed AI projects, some felt the work wasn’t entirely theirs.

“High-performing students tend to use AI to take their work even further, while those struggling may fall behind if they don’t fully engage,” Kumarappan said during a recent Q&A with the university. “That’s why I set clear expectations on how AI can or can’t be used in every assignment and emphasize teamwork and collaboration — skills that remain essential.”

Students will not be allowed to use generative AI to pass off assignments as their own. Faculty will receive guidance on maintaining academic integrity while using AI as a tool. For example, education majors might be asked to use AI to create a lesson plan, which they then evaluate and revise. The sample assignment would require students to submit their lesson plan along with their initial AI prompt and a reflection on what they changed and how effective the generative AI was.

Brown emphasized that AI is here to stay, and banning it would be shortsighted. He encouraged students to have discussions about ethics and philosophy with AI chatbots, write papers using AI however they’d like, and use AI to help create dialogues between two sides of a controversial topic to demonstrate educated arguments on both sides.

“It would be a disaster for our students to have no idea how to effectively use one of the most powerful tools that humanity has ever created,” Brown said. “AI is such a powerful tool for self-education that we must rapidly adapt our pedagogy or be left in the dust.” 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the AI Fluency Initiative at Ohio State University?

A: The AI Fluency Initiative at Ohio State University is a program that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) education into every major, ensuring that all students become fluent in AI and its responsible application.

Q: Why is Ohio State University implementing this program?

A: Ohio State University is implementing this program to prepare students for a future where AI will impact every industry, ensuring they are well-versed in using this powerful technology responsibly.

Q: How will AI be integrated into the curriculum?

A: AI will be integrated through new general education courses, specific coursework in each major, and required AI skills seminars. The program will prioritize the incoming freshman class and beyond.

Q: What are some examples of how AI is being used in courses at Ohio State?

A: Professors are using AI to create lesson plans, facilitate discussions on ethics and philosophy, and help students write papers. Students are also using AI to create dialogues between two sides of a controversial topic.

Q: How will the university ensure academic integrity with the use of AI?

A: Faculty will receive guidance on maintaining academic integrity while using AI as a tool. Students will not be allowed to use generative AI to pass off assignments as their own and will be required to submit their initial AI prompts and reflections on their work. 

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