BIG RAPIDS — 2 new students ferris state university Help schools consider how artificial intelligence can be used in the classroom and beyond.
Starting in the spring semester, two virtual students created by the university will be enrolled in classes. Students named Ann and Fry register as new students, attend hybrid her classes, interact with classmates, and complete assignments.
Faculty monitor interactions with professors and classmates to explore potential AI applications in education and other fields.
Molly Cooper, a professor at Ferris State University who is an information security, cybersecurity and AI scholar, said the virtual student experience can help faculty in several areas, including finding new ways to make education more accessible. He said he was deaf.
“Ferris State University is a leader in artificial intelligence education, and we can leverage that expertise to enhance instruction using the technology we teach,” Cooper said. “The more we use artificial intelligence, the more we learn about its capabilities and how we can use it to do things more efficiently and effectively.”
The virtual student project involves several departments at Ferris State University. Anne and Fry have backstories created by faculty based on real student experiences. These backstories are used to complete tasks such as declaring a major.
“These virtual students and the work we are doing around them is another example of Ferris State University’s leadership in technology,” said President Bobby Fleischman. .
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FSU’s Artificial Intelligence program is one of only three undergraduate AI programs in the country. The university has “close relationships” with industry and government partners, including the Department of Defense, National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Amazon Web Services and various Michigan companies, the university said.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman. mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.