Policies regarding the use of artificial intelligence by students in many colleges and universities have swung from banning it, to allowing it in limited use, to now making AI classes compulsory.

As AI becomes increasingly intertwined with industry and research, universities around the world appear to be embracing a new academic reality — one where learning to collaborate with machines is no longer an elective skill but a fundamental requirement. And as AI becomes commonplace in business, medicine and other fields, having the skills to work with AI tools is becoming as essential to a graduate’s resume as a summer internship.

Ohio State University in Columbus has launched an initiative to ensure that all students are AI fluent by the time they graduate. 

“Through AI Fluency, Ohio State students will become ‘bilingual’ — fluent in both their major field of study and the application of AI in that area,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda. “Grounded with a strong sense of responsibility and possibility, we will prepare Ohio State’s students to harness the power of AI and to lead in shaping its future of their area of study.”

The Office of Academic Affairs released a statement saying, “Ohio State is leading a bold, groundbreaking initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into the undergraduate educational experience. The initiative will ensure that every Ohio State student, beginning with the class of 2029, will graduate being AI fluent — fluent in their field of study, and fluent in the application of AI in that field.”

Purdue University is also moving to require proven AI skills as a condition for graduation. Provost Patrick J. Wolfe and Interim Senior Provost Haley Oliver recently presented a plan during a university senate meeting Oct. 20, 2025, to “make AI competency a fundamental learning outcome across all disciplines.”

“Employers are demanding this. It’s part of the job description, and it’s part of our commitment to our students in order to be able to deliver against that,” Oliver told the student newspaper, The Exponent.

Provost Wolfe wrote a comprehensive letter to the student body last September addressing the institution’s focus on AI as a learning tool.

“As AI tools, such as large language models and generative algorithms, impact our world like never before, we at Purdue are actively and critically studying this quickly evolving landscape, and its potential opportunities and implications, along five dimensions.”

Still, using AI in what are known as secure or supervised tasks, such as exams, remains prohibited in most colleges and universities. But outside of those circumstances, more institutions of higher education are giving the green light for AI integration.

The University of Sydney in Australia has published a detailed list of do’s and don’ts regarding AI use, built on the understanding that AI literacy is essential to student preparedness.

“Learning to use artificial intelligence tools productively and responsibly is an important part of developing digital literacy. We want to ensure that you have the skills and knowledge to adapt and thrive in a changing world,” the university states in its policy. “At the same time, it’s important to understand when use of AI is unethical, inappropriate, or breaches the university’s rules about academic integrity. Submitting assessments that aren’t your original work – including work produced by AI – may constitute a breach of academic integrity.”

Danny Liu, a biologist who specializes in educational technology at the University of Sydney, developed a generative AI platform in 2023 tailored for higher education. The tool has since been embedded in the university’s digital learning platform, allowing teachers to develop customized AI applications for instruction. Currently, more than 1,000 teachers at the school use Liu’s platform, called Cogniti.

Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh also touts itself as a pioneer in AI education.

“In 2018, our School of Computer Science offered the nation’s first bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence, and we continue to be a leader in AI education. We offer a broad and deep curriculum that reflects the impact of AI on careers and the skills needed to thrive in a tech economy,” the university states on its website.

According to Carnegie Mellon, it has the best AI program in the country, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2025. “Students in the program go far beyond fundamentals, reaching into the bleeding edge of technological possibilities to prepare for a more AI-centric future.”