TLDR: UCLA has formed a new Advisory Committee on AI in Teaching and Learning, launched in spring 2025, to strategically address the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence across its educational landscape. Co-chaired by Chris Mattmann and Kem Saichaie, the committee comprises students, faculty, and staff, aiming to provide comprehensive guidance, develop resources, and foster responsible AI adoption in classrooms.
In a proactive move to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, UCLA has established the Advisory Committee on AI in Teaching and Learning. Formed in spring 2025 by the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning (VPTL), this committee is tasked with monitoring, discussing, and evaluating the profound changes AI is expected to bring to the university’s educational and pedagogical environment. The initiative builds upon recommendations from a spring 2024 Ad Hoc Committee for Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning.
The committee’s primary objective is to provide strategic and cohesive guidance to the entire Bruin community on how to best leverage this evolving technology in classrooms. It aims to offer counsel on conceptualizing AI’s role in the classroom and identifying necessary infrastructure investments, while also addressing potential concerns such as accessibility, academic integrity, educational quality, technological bias, and environmental impacts.
Co-chairing this pivotal committee are Chris Mattmann, UCLA’s inaugural chief data and artificial intelligence officer for Digital and Technology Solutions (DTS), and Kem Saichaie, the inaugural executive director of the UCLA Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). The committee’s diverse composition includes representation from key campus stakeholders such as the Academic Senate, the DataX Initiative, UCLA Digital and Technology Solutions, the Division of Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, UCLA Library, and UCLA Extension, ensuring a holistic perspective on AI integration.
Kem Saichaie emphasized the forward-thinking approach, stating, “Rather than simply decry the challenges the AI presents to traditional forms of teaching, we have a unique opportunity to reevaluate our practices in general to better understand the mission of education today.” This sentiment underscores the committee’s commitment to exploring AI’s potential to enhance educational innovation.
The urgency of this initiative is highlighted by recent data: the 2024 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey revealed that 66% of UCLA students reported using generative AI tools throughout the academic year. Recognizing this widespread adoption, the committee will focus on developing resources and initiatives to support both instructors and students.
Specific areas of focus for the committee’s working groups include AI literacy, the accessibility and impact of generative AI for teaching and learning, asset-based applications of GenAI, and instructor upskilling and training. The group will offer guidance to instructors on using AI technology and support the development of new programs and services offered by the UCLA Teaching and Learning Center. Elisa Kreiss, an assistant professor in the UCLA Department of Communication and a committee member, noted, “AI provides an unprecedented opportunity to take shortcuts while going through the higher education learning experience,” suggesting a recognition of AI’s potential to streamline learning processes while also necessitating careful guidance.
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Ultimately, the committee will advise on the prioritization of future resources, including grant funding, to establish a robust support model for all UCLA instructors, including Teaching Assistants, and the students they serve, ensuring responsible and effective integration of AI into the university’s educational fabric.
