Wake Forest University appointed psychology professor William Fleeson to lead a new university-wide artificial intelligence initiative, signaling that higher education leaders are moving beyond ad hoc AI experiments toward coordinated strategies that touch teaching, research and administration.
Fleeson, the Hultquist Family Professor of Psychology, now serves as Associate Provost for AI Initiatives at Wake Forest University. He will oversee AI for Human Flourishing, an effort to align campus AI priorities across the North Carolina private university's undergraduate college and its graduate schools of business, law, medicine, divinity, arts and sciences, and professional studies.
"Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping higher education, and Wake Forest has both an opportunity and a responsibility to approach it thoughtfully," said Interim Provost Nell Jessup Newton. "Through AI for Human Flourishing, we are bringing together faculty expertise from across the University to explore how AI can strengthen teaching, learning and research while remaining grounded in the values that define a Wake Forest education."
Fleeson's remit includes developing a long-term academic strategy for AI, coordinating an AI Task Force and working with faculty, staff and students to shape the university's approach. The first phase combines institutional planning with three cross-school pilots that will run during the 2026-27 academic year.
Three pilots cover ethics, teaching and applied AI
AI Compass, led by Carlson Professor in University Studies Ana Iltis, examines ethical, societal and health implications of AI. It also aims to strengthen the university's capacity for interdisciplinary AI research.
AI Teaching Studio, led by Fleeson, focuses on how AI can support teaching and learning. The pilot's stated priorities include strengthening critical thinking, sustaining curiosity and helping students navigate ambiguity and complexity.
AI Impact Clinic, led by Professor of the Practice Shannon McKeen along with computer science professors Paul Pauca and Errin Fulp, will connect faculty and students with internal and external partners to work on practical AI solutions through applied projects.
The university said the pilots grew out of its strategic framework process, faculty proposals and campus-wide feedback. Wake Forest has not yet named the external organizations that will participate in the AI Impact Clinic or explained how faculty and students will be selected for its projects. Findings from all three pilots will feed into the broader institutional strategy.
Strategy tied to Wake Forest's institutional values
The initiative is built around the university's motto, Pro Humanitate ("For Humanity"). Five commitments guide the work: putting AI in service of humanity, protecting the elements of education that Wake Forest values, using AI to reinforce those values, supporting faculty and staff, and preparing students to use AI responsibly where it benefits them.
"Our goal is not simply to adopt new technology. It's to develop an approach that reflects Wake Forest's mission - using AI where it enhances teaching, learning, research and our daily work, while ensuring that human judgment, curiosity, creativity and meaningful relationships remain at the center of the Wake Forest experience," Fleeson said.
Recent campus surveys identified a demand for clearer guidance on AI's role in teaching, learning and scholarship. Over the coming year, town halls and unit-level discussions will give faculty, staff and students opportunities to contribute as the university shapes its next phase of work.
Why this matters for education professionals
The Wake Forest initiative reflects a shift on college campuses from isolated AI tool adoption to institution-wide strategies that tie technology decisions to core educational values. For faculty and administrators at other institutions, the three-pilot structure - ethics, teaching and applied partnerships - offers a replicable framework for testing AI's impact before locking in long-term policies. The emphasis on preserving human judgment, curiosity and relationships signals a deliberate counterweight to pressure for fast AI integration without evaluating what might be lost in the process.
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