Artificial Intelligence

SJSU AI Vision Statement

San José State University is Silicon Valley’s public research university located at the academic and geographic center of a technological revolution in artificial intelligence/ machine learning (AI/ML), large language models, and robotics. SJSU has been advancing knowledge and educating students in these fields, with a keen eye on ethical and sociocultural considerations, for years. As the world adapts to the AI revolution, SJSU will advance its leadership in the development, application, and assessment of these powerful tools, and ensure that graduates are ready for future technologies. 

In alignment with our institutional values, we will embrace a shared responsibility and commitment to ethical principles as we adapt our evolving curricula to AI/ML. We will support the growth of faculty and student research, entrepreneurship, and experiential learning to advance these fields for the betterment of humanity.  We will serve as a nexus for ideas, talent, and collaboration as Silicon Valley enterprises interface with our communities, including the City of San Jose and the State of California to solve real-world problems. We will lead the reimagining of business practices in ways that positively impact the work and lives of our faculty, staff, students, and the wider community.  With a focus on collective impact, we are aligning our university community as thought-leaders and active partners in a flourishing and responsible tomorrow.

What We Do to Achieve Our Vision

SJSU has a long history of consistently providing the talent needed to maintain Silicon Valley’s leading edge as well as being a place of discovery propelled by a vision of ethical, inclusive, and responsible scholarship. As a Silicon Valley anchor institution, SJSU and our Silicon Valley neighbors benefit from a wide range of collaborative expertise. Many SJSU faculty researchers are actively applying their expertise in AI/ML to the advancement of technologies and the analysis of the social impact and ethical implications in fields such as healthcare and education. This work includes federally-funded AI/ML research programs as well as philanthropy-, foundation-, and corporation-supported research or workforce development programs with partners such as IBM, Adobe, NVIDIA, and many others. 

The rapid adoption of AI/ML and robotics promises to impact workforce development, scientific advancement, scholarship, and society in ways previously unimagined. To thrive in this revolution, SJSU must align our collective efforts to harness the intellectual energy of our students, faculty, and staff to:

  • Meet the intellectual needs of our global ecosystem, including workforce demands for AI/ML-prepared graduates.

  • Embrace mindsets and practices that prepare us to address unprecedented challenges posed by the evolving technologies to us as individuals, communities, and society. This includes asking:

    1. How do we address AI/ML use in policy, regulation and legal structures?

    2. How do we preserve and protect intellectual property and creative works?

    3. How do we reduce the risk of bias and inequities?

    4. How do we embed AI/ML in education in a way that advances student learning while nurturing human creativity, thus ensuring intergenerational adaptability to the evolving technology and preservation of innate human skills?

  • Steward the holistic success of a diverse student body, faculty, staff, and the general public as we proactively fulfill the needs of tomorrow in everything we do.

Visit our SJSU x AI Hub


AI Advisory Committee

As SJSU continues to build our foundation as the epicenter of the future, it is imperative that the university enhances and sustains our competitive advantage in artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-related technologies. To drive this initiative, the AI Advisory Committee has been established to serve as a strategic body to advise President Teniente-Matson and the cabinet on the integration, development, and ethical implementation of AI technologies across SJSU’s academic and administrative domains.

The advisory committee is made up of two co-chairs, five faculty members, four staff members, and two student representatives. In addition, two Ex Officio members from University Personnel and the University Library are present to provide key input. The call for nominations yielded more than 120 responses, demonstrating a strong desire on campus to be involved in AI strategy for our university. The diverse makeup of this group will enhance dialogue about how implementation of AI at SJSU can be mutually beneficial to all 40,000 Spartans as well as the broader community. 

The first convening of the committee will occur at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester. Each member will serve on the advisory committee for one full academic year with the possibility of renewal. The AI Advisory Committee will present their findings and recommendations to President Teniente-Matson and the cabinet at the end every semester. 

The advisory committee members are:

  • Magdalena Barrera, Vice Provost for Faculty Success - co-chair
  • Marc d’Alarcao, Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation - co-chair
  • Feruza Amirkulova, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Ahmed Banafa, Lecturer, Interdisciplinary Engineering
  • Étienne Brown, Assistant Professor, Philosophy
  • Harish Chander, Enterprise Systems Analyst and Programmer, Information Technology 
  • Jorjeta Jetcheva, Assistant Professor, Computer Engineering
  • Jason Kim, Industry Research Alliances Specialist, Research and Innovation
  • Yingjie Liu, Lead Instructional Designer, eCampus
  • Christina Mune, Associate Dean of Innovation and Resource Management, University Library, Ex Officio
  • Pablo Nava Barrera, Undergraduate Student, Computer Science
  • Jon Rawski, Assistant Professor, Linguistics and Language Development
  • Holly Quiñones, Manager, Organizational Development and Enrichment Programs, University Personnel, Ex Officio
  • Karen Vogler, University Risk Manager, Finance and Business Services
  • Eboni Weston, Graduate Student, School of Information

The AI Advisory Committee is organized into four subcommittees. Each of these, including membership are current priorities, is listed below:

Academic Subcommittee

Membership: Jon Rawski, Jorjeta Jetcheva, Étienne Brown, Christina Mune

Top Priority: Craft an AI Integrity Policy Recommendation

Business Operations Subcommittee

Membership: Harish Chandler, Holly Quiñones, Karen Vogler

Top Priority: Develop and implement a comprehensive set of AI Guiding Principles specifically tailored for business operations at San Jośe State University.

Research and Industry Subcommittee

Membership: Feruza Amirkulova, Jason Kim, Yingjie Liu

Top Priorities: 1) Expand AI research computing infrastructure; 2) Establish an SJSU AI research and innovation hub; 3) Communicate AI research leadership externally; 4) Create an AI research fellowship program.

Student Experience Subcommittee

Membership: Jorjeta Jetcheva, Yingjie Liu, Pablo Nava Barrera, Eboni Weston

Top Priorities: 1) Include generative AI training in student orientation; 2) Train students in ethical use of generative AI.