The Workgroup has two recommendations. The first recommendation is that UWM broadly adopt a cautious and critical approach to AI technologies and their incorporation into all of the activities of faculty, staff, and students. The Workgroup’s second recommendation is to create a framework for the use of AI technologies at UWM and by UWM faculty/staff/students/researchers that allows for the flexible use of such technologies – recognizing that these technologies and the landscape is changing at a rapid pace – while ensuring that AI technologies are used ethically, consistent with UWM’s mission and within the parameters of applicable laws and UWM/UW policies, including FERPA, intellectual property and data protection security
We recommend that this framework include the following elements:
- The development of a campus-wide policy that affirms UWM’s commitment to engaging AI technologies responsibly and in a way consistent with its mission and values. It would include the following additional key elements:
- A scope statement that makes clear the breadth of campus activity to which it applies (e.g., individual uses, classroom spaces, campus purchases, partnerships, etc.).
- A statement that our engagement with AI technologies should be treated with caution, and include input of all stakeholders, including faculty and staff.
- A statement that UWM’s engagement with AI will always be guided first by ethical considerations, regardless of their potential impact.
- An acknowledgement that AI technologies are not wholly positive phenomena and must be critically assessed.
- An acknowledgement that AI technologies reach across all disciplines, and that all disciplines should be included in their ongoing critical assessment.
- The creation of guidance documents/procedures where additional or more detailed guidance would be beneficial. Unlike more comprehensive policies, guidance documents are likely to focus on a more narrow AI-technology-related issue that impacts a smaller subset of the UWM community, and should be developed by and/or with input from subject matter experts and stakeholders. (See guidance documents mentioned above.) These guidance documents and any existing documents should be consistent with any AI technology-related policies.
- The regular and ongoing collection of information about AI technologies use on campus through the use of surveys and any other relevant methodologies.
- The opportunity for consultation and review of decisions/policies/procedures by impacted stakeholders. This includes, for example, faculty/staff/UITS governance groups (either through existing mechanisms or as needed, newly developed ones), subject matter experts, other stakeholders and leadership.
- The incorporation of ethical considerations regarding AI technologies into existing or new mandatory training for faculty, staff and students that includes as a minimum: a) what is generative AI; b) the scope of AI use in university contexts; c) ethical considerations in AI use; and d) types of AI tools. Given the dynamic nature of generative AI, these training materials should be regularly updated.
- The creation, as needed, of oversight processes/review committees/working groups for uses of AI technologies where there are heightened ethical or legal concerns. This may include oversight of:
- The use of generative AI in research
- The use of non-UWM owned intellectual property to train homegrown AI tools
- The procurement of AI-related software (e.g., for contract provisions that allow for data use to “train” the AI software and/or claim ownership of inputs)