UC Irvine’s School of Humanities announced the formation of a Generative AI Workgroup in 2024, culminating in the release of a white paper outlining a framework for integrating artificial intelligence into humanities education and research, according to a statement released by the university on February 19, 2025.
The workgroup, comprised of faculty members Qian Du, Amalia Herrmann, Bradley Queen, Braxton Soderman and Julio Torres, was tasked with assessing the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and developing resources for faculty. The resulting white paper emphasizes the importance of grounding AI integration in specific disciplinary objectives, promoting student-centered critical thinking and encouraging diverse perspectives on issues such as bias, ethics, and accessibility.
The initiative reflects a broader trend of humanities departments grappling with the implications of rapidly advancing AI technologies. The Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut has also been fostering collaboration and research on AI and its impact on human values, recognizing that “science alone cannot provide the wisdom we need to navigate both the challenges and possibilities offered by artificial intelligence,” according to the institute’s website.
Dean Tyrus Miller of UCI’s School of Humanities, in a 2023 essay, observed that “We see in this human dimension that the impacts of AI matter most.” This perspective has guided the school’s approach to AI integration, prioritizing humanistic values and critical thinking. The school’s efforts include pioneering policy development and hands-on experimentation with graduate students, as well as hosting conferences with industry experts.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has also launched “Humanities Perspectives on AI,” a program offering grants of up to $750,000 to universities and research organizations to support the creation of humanities research centers focusing on the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI. The NEH recognizes that questions surrounding AI’s impact are “fundamentally rooted in such humanities fields as ethics, law, history, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, media studies, and cultural studies.”
A talk by award-winning journalist and author Karen Hao, titled “Empire of AI: How Silicon Valley Is Reshaping the World,” is scheduled for March 9, 2026, at the University of Connecticut’s Konover Auditorium, as part of the Humanities Institute’s ongoing series of events exploring AI and its implications.
The UCI School of Humanities hosted a conference on October 9, 2025, titled “What are we talking about when we talk about AI?” featuring panels on “Care” and “Literacy,” examining the integration of AI into healthcare and education, respectively.
