The University of Hawaiʻi is establishing an AI (artificial intelligence) Planning Group to lay the groundwork for responsible AI literacy and adoption across its 10 campuses. Spearheaded by UH President Wendy Hensel, the initiative aims to prepare students for a workforce where AI is rapidly reshaping jobs and the economy, making AI literacy an essential skill for every career path.
“We want to equip our students to thrive in an AI-driven world by using AI responsibly, creatively and effectively in any industry,” Hensel said. “That begins with ensuring our faculty and staff have the support and training they need to make sound decisions that align with UH’s mission and values, including our commitment to being a Native Hawaiian place of learning.”
AI training, skills to thrive
The AI Planning Group includes three specialized task forces and is bringing together a diverse team of cross-functional stakeholders from across the UH system. Over the next six to nine months, the group will recommend a coordinated plan to build AI literacy in curriculum and pedagogy, enhance institutional operations and promote responsible, ethical AI use. A fourth task group will be formed to explore what AI means within the context of a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning.
“This is about ensuring every part of our university is equipped to navigate the AI landscape,” said Hensel. “Not everyone will choose to use AI, but everyone must be aware of its potential, both good and bad, and have access to the training and skill development they will need to thrive in this new era.”
The group will identify the infrastructure, training and partnerships needed for implementation, explore ways to redesign curriculum and support services for the AI era and examine issues of cost and equity, including the feasibility of providing students with access to a variety of AI tools.
Each task force will provide regular updates to the AI Planning Group to help shape a unified, systemwide strategy. The AI Planning Group will then compile a set of actionable recommendations for Hensel and the UH community.
“We plan to be transparent every step of the way so our campuses know what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and how they can be part of this work,” said Hensel.
Embracing AI, technology
Integrating technology throughout UH has been among Hensel’s top priorities since she became president in January 2025. She says this focus is key to the future of the 10-campus system and the students and communities UH serves.
“We must be Hawaiʻi’s technology leaders, especially with the explosion of artificial intelligence,” said Hensel in a December 2024 UH News interview. “We are educators, and this is one of the biggest education revolutions in human existence. We have to be at the forefront, leading the way.”
As part of her initiative to broaden student access to AI and raise its profile across the university, 50 UH faculty members on eight campuses were each awarded $1,000 incentives to develop or revise course assignments that incorporate generative artificial intelligence concepts into their teaching. The announcement was made on June 17.
On June 16, the UH Board of Regents approved a $7.4 million, five-year subscription for a pair of integrated technology platforms designed to improve student outcomes across the 10 campuses. The investment in these advanced tools supports a systemwide student-success initiative focused on closing achievement gaps and boosting retention and graduation rates.
