St. Bonaventure requires all first-year students to take AI literacy course
St. Bonaventure University will require its first-year students to complete an artificial intelligence literacy course starting this fall. The course covers what AI is, how to use the tools responsibly, and the social and ethical questions surrounding the technology.
The university is embedding the AI for Education requirement into BONA 101, its first-year seminar. David Hilmey, the university's provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said the move ensures students "begin their academic journey with the knowledge, skills and ethical grounding needed to use these tools thoughtfully and responsibly."
Hilmey framed the requirement as part of the university's broader mission. "Our responsibility is to ensure students are equipped to navigate emerging technologies with both competence and conscience," he said. "This initiative is about forming graduates who can engage AI with integrity, guided by the human-centered values that define a Bonaventure education."
The decision reflects a wider shift in higher education. Universities increasingly recognize that AI literacy is becoming essential across disciplines and professions, not just computer science or engineering programs.
St. Bonaventure is also providing ChatGPT education licenses to all students, faculty, and most staff members. The combination of formal instruction and direct tool access gives students hands-on experience with the technology they'll encounter in their careers.
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