Brandeis University
MA · AI Readiness #188 of 227
AIREDEX™ Score: 5.3 /10
Brandeis undergraduates have campus-wide access to Google Gemini and Zoom AI with enterprise data protection, and the university's AI Task Force and AI Steering Council have produced published policies, ethics frameworks, and AI literacy resources available to all students.
Judges also get access to AI-related workshops and mentoring through the Heller School's Racial Justice x Technology Policy program, which focuses on algorithmic bias and responsible AI use. The Data Science Internal Internship Lab, launched in 2021, connects undergrads directly with AI and data science projects on campus, and the 2026 Global Career Accelerator includes an AI track with project work tied to OpenAI. What's still missing is a standalone undergraduate AI major, minor, or certificate; for now, AI reaches students through individual courses and programs rather than a dedicated credential.
Pillar grades
- Commitment: C-
- Curriculum: C-
- Partnerships: C-
- Research: B+
A(I)ttitude™: cautious
Selected Highlights
- AI Task Force (co-chairs Matthew Sheehy and Steven Knowles) and AI Steering Council confirmed as two-tiered governance structure with cross-departmental membership and published outputs including the AI Acceptable Use Policy.
- AI Acceptable Use Policy published university-wide; AI Steering Council mandate includes stated goals, governance commitments, ethical guidelines, and named programs.
- $25M Board of Trustees investment confirmed with AI explicitly named as a component; AI is one of several named purposes alongside career pathways and curriculum redesign.
- Heller School Racial Justice x Technology Policy (RJxTP) program confirmed with named lead (Ezra Tefera on AI Task Force), active since 2022, with documented courses, workshops, and microcredentials on algorithmic bias and AI ethics.
- Google Gemini and Zoom AI confirmed as non-Microsoft enterprise-licensed tools available to all students with enterprise data protection; Microsoft Copilot also available but excluded per rubric.