University of Alaska Anchorage
AK · AI Readiness #210 of 227
AIREDEX™ Score: 4.6 /10
UAA undergraduates can take Writing A290, a standalone writing course centered on using AI tools responsibly, which launched in fall 2024 and gives students structured, credit-bearing practice applying generative AI to real coursework.
UAA students pursuing internships can apply for the McKinley ADSAIL Scholars Award, which pays tuition for a dedicated AI internship course. The AI-UNITE initiative hosts ethics discussions and workshops open to the wider campus community, and UAA faculty are leading a National Science Foundation RAISE grant focused on applied artificial intelligence research, adding a research dimension alongside the university's classroom AI offerings.
Pillar grades
- Commitment: D+
- Curriculum: D+
- Partnerships: C-
- Research: B+
A(I)ttitude™: cautious
Selected Highlights
- ADSAIL is a confirmed cross-disciplinary AI lab drawing from College of Engineering and College of Business and Public Policy, co-directed by Dr. Kenrick Mock and Dr. Helena Wisniewski, with active funded projects and industry partnership with McKinley Capital Management.
- AIR Lab (Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Lab) established January 2025 under NSF AI-UNITE, directed by Dr. Masoumeh Heidari Kapourchali, with documented active projects in wildfire prediction, health monitoring, and iris/gaze security.
- Alaska AI Solutions Consortium (AISC) hosted by UAA College of Engineering, confirmed multi-sector consortium with 22 participants from healthcare, government, finance, and academia at inaugural June 2025 event.
- UAA Generative AI Security Standard effective November 15, 2025, authored by CIO Ryan McDaniel, operative campus-level AI policy document.
- AI-UNITE NSF project includes named Ethical and Responsible AI Initiatives component with workshops and community discussions on responsible AI use.