Vandals don’t do anything halfway. Determination drives them to push boundaries, lead innovation and, as President Scott Green likes to say, “punch above our weight.”
Even before the recent wave of artificial intelligence breakthroughs dominated headlines, University of Idaho leadership invested in systems that positioned the university to fully embrace AI capability.
“Unrelenting nerdiness.” That’s how Barrie Robison, director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences (IIDS), explains the early development of an AI-driven workflow tool that streamlined grant administration at U of I. The Vandalizer, as this tool was aptly named, quickly garnered interest from more than 100 universities nationwide.
U of I's collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory and access to its Falcon supercomputer showed U of I leaders what is possible with enormous computing power. That led to their investment in IIDS.
“We were a bunch of nerds focused around supercomputing,” Robison said. “That was a deliberate institutional priority. When AI hit, we all started tinkering. That tinkering put us in the position to keep going. It wasn’t long before we realized AI could do real things.”
The researchers quietly investigated, experimented and ultimately built an AI tool that has already increased efficiency, created cost savings and earned national recognition. A $4.5 million National Science Foundation grant not only helped fund the work but also provided the structure to keep the team focused on developing a tool with practical applications. Quantifying the savings can be staggering. Tasks that once took 20 minutes now take 20 seconds. Do that several hundred times a month and the results add up.
We are leading the way and we are making sure our students enter the workforce ready to build the tools industry needs to solve problems.
Scott Green
President of University of Idaho
Foundation for success
Establishing leadership to guide the implementation of a new technology is pivotal to its success. Enter Ben Hunter, dean of U of I Libraries, chair of the U of I AI Working Group and an advocate for responsible AI use. Named chief data and AI officer this summer, Hunter is the yin to the Office of Information Technology’s yang, Vice President of IT Dan Ewart. Hunter oversees the university’s data strategy, AI governance, analytics and institutional modernization. Ewart leads technology and infrastructure, including cybersecurity, university-wide systems and the technical foundation necessary to support AI-enabled strategies. Together, they provide the oversight and structure needed to manage a fast-moving technology that often draws public criticism.
“The goal is not to replace people,” Ewart said. “We want people to be able to do what we hired them to do.”
Hunter said he receives a lot of questions from employees about how and when to use AI. Some have jumped headlong into the technology, while others are wary.
“I know some people who are going to hate it,” he said. “But it is our job, as leaders, to show the positive use of the technology — to enhance research and advance medical breakthroughs. We are being thoughtful about this. We want to lead ethically.”
Leading with purpose is part of that. Planning for the future means planning for AI, which is reflected across all five pillars in U of I’s 2026-30 Strategic Plan.
“We must make this a priority. If we don’t engage from the beginning, we will be left behind and that is not what Vandals do,” Green said. “We are leading the way and we are making sure our students enter the workforce ready to build the tools industry needs to solve problems.”
Not just technology
U of I has long led in cybersecurity training. But the flood of AI capabilities tests the security of U of I systems and data every day. What information can and should be put into a large language model? How can research be conducted while keeping data secure? U of I has not only invested in building the technology but also in data sovereignty — the ability to safely store data within its own ecosystem. That foundation is critical to realizing AI’s full potential.
Training and adoption come next. Hunter convened a faculty bootcamp for a cohort of early adopters who worked together to explore how to use and teach AI. U of I developed a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degree paths and several certificates, all of which launch this fall. These programs teach students not only how to use AI but how to build it.
“We aren’t just teaching Copilot here,” Green said, referring to a Microsoft AI assistant that helps users complete tasks. “We are building AI tools to solve real problems. Students here will be part of that.”
The technology is evolving quickly and the possibilities are endless. U of I remains committed and focused on developing impactful AI tools and educational paths.
“This is not just about the technology,” Robison said. “What matters to me is when it makes a difference for a person.”