Google kicks off KU's Falling into AI week with keynote, panels, and career-focused sessions

Google to kick off weeklong KU event on AI in education and research

On Sept. 29, Google will kick off "Falling into AI," a weeklong event that brings the Jayhawk community together around practical uses of artificial intelligence in teaching, research and operations. Students, staff, faculty and health care professionals will see concrete applications and meet peers who are already testing what works.

What to expect at the kickoff

Experts from Google for Education and other Google teams will deliver the keynote in the Kansas Union, sharing initiatives that support AI education and research across disciplines. A panel and Q&A will follow, giving the KU community space to ask direct questions about tools, policies and implementation.

Breakout sessions built for your role

After the keynote, Google will host focused breakout sessions with actionable guidance.

• Students: Career paths, in-demand skills and portfolio ideas that show real work.
• Faculty and researchers: Course integration, assessment strategies, academic integrity and data use.
• Health care professionals: Practical use cases, workflow improvements and privacy/compliance considerations.

Hosted by KU leaders

The week is hosted by Lisa Dieker, director of the Center for Flexible Learning Through Innovations & Technology (FLITE), and Ed Hudson, KU CIO and vice chancellor for information technology.

"I'm excited to see that Google has really leaned into this and wants to be a partner with KU," Hudson said. "I'm especially interested in learning more about their student track, because I think an important role for KU is to help educate and train students so they are best prepared when they graduate."

"This is a chance for people to ask questions and talk about how they can collaborate," Dieker said. "KU has a big campus, and this event will help bring us together."

Hudson noted that KU is being intentional about AI adoption and wants thoughtful progress across academic, research and administrative spaces. This week is a starting point for those conversations.

Open houses across campus

Throughout the week, KU faculty and staff will host informal open houses showing how they use AI in daily work. Presenters include:

• FLITE (Center for Flexible Learning Through Innovations & Technology)
• Center for Public Partnerships & Research
• Center for Teaching Excellence
• Institute for Information Sciences (I2S)

Sessions offer both virtual and in-person options. Giveaways are available to in-person attendees.

Event details

• Date: Monday, Sept. 29
• Time: 1-4 p.m.
• Location: Kansas Union, Woodruff Room
• Registration: Visit the "Falling into AI" event page to reserve tickets and view the full schedule of free sessions and open houses.
• Audience: Intended for the KU community.

Why it matters for educators

Expect examples you can use this semester: lesson design with AI assistants, formative feedback workflows, assessment approaches and research processes that save time. You'll also connect with colleagues working on similar problems and potential partners for grants or pilots.

If you teach, lead a program or support student services, this week will help you set practical guardrails, pick tools that fit your context and match training to job needs.

Keep learning

For broader context on AI in education, explore Google for Education: AI for educators.

For role-based upskilling beyond the event, browse AI courses by job at Complete AI Training.