By VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWSWIRE
Grant funding announced on November 27 will support two more years of collaboration between San Diego State University (SDSU), UC San Diego, and the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) to address AI equity gaps across regional campuses.
The Equitable AI Alliance, launched earlier this year, aims to provide equal access to AI tools and training, fostering skill-building in AI. It received a $1.5 million AI Grand Challenge grant from the California Education Learning Lab to support responsible AI use and bridge equity gaps in higher education.
The alliance focuses on three pillars: assessing AI-related needs, educating campus communities on AI resources, and scaling accessible AI tools for learning and career readiness. SDSU’s inaugural AI student survey, launched in fall 2023, has surveyed nearly 18,000 students. The alliance will expand the survey to UC San Diego and SDCCD campuses to better understand student and staff needs.
Survey data will guide the expansion of AI literacy programs and resources for all three institutions. A key component is SDSU’s Academic Applications of AI (AAAI) micro-credential, designed to empower students, faculty, and staff to leverage AI tools effectively. “By creating a common platform for AI education, we are enhancing career readiness and supporting smoother transitions for students transferring between institutions,” said David Goldberg, SDSU associate professor and project lead.
The alliance will also ensure equal access to AI tools like UC San Diego’s TritonGPT, a generative AI-powered information assistant. The initiative will establish a virtual innovation lab for educators across California’s higher education systems to share best practices and develop new AI pedagogies, aiming to create a statewide AI resource-sharing model.
