Shaping the use of AI at UC Santa Cruz

A diverse group of representatives from academic and administrative units will help guide the campus’s approach to artificial intelligence. The AI Council will play a key role in shaping the thoughtful, strategic, and responsible use of AI at UCSC.

The AI Council, co-chaired by Vice Chancellor of Information Technology, Aisha Jackson, and Assistant Vice Provost for Educational Innovation, Michael Tassio, held its inaugural meeting in February 2025. The council brings together perspectives from the Academic Senate, Arts, Student Affairs, Human Resources, the Student Health Center, Information Technology Services, the University Library, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Business Services, University Advancement, the Baskin School of Engineering, and Undergraduate Education, ensuring a holistic approach to AI governance on our campus.

The council’s charge includes:

• Establishing guidelines for ethical and responsible AI use at UC Santa Cruz while supporting academic freedom and addressing concerns around bias, data privacy, and responsible deployment.
• Providing guidance on the integration of AI in student life, teaching, research, and operations, ensuring alignment with our university’s mission and values.
• Creating avenues for our community to engage with AI in ways that align with our principles and promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• Leveraging best practices to support risk assessments and developing protocols for the safe, secure, and compliant use of AI. 
• Recommending investments in technical infrastructure that support ethical, equitable, financially sustainable, and environmentally responsible use of AI.

The AI Council is actively working on prioritizing areas of focus for the remainder of the academic year. Learn more about upcoming meetings and share questions or topics for the council to address.