As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the higher education landscape, the University of Delaware’s First State AI Institute (FSAII) is ensuring the university remains at the forefront of responsible, human-centered AI innovation. Recently, FSAII leadership—Director Sunita Chandrasekaran, Distinguished Professor Rudi Eigenmann, and IT-Research Infrastructure Director John Huffman—sat down to discuss their vision for the future of AI on campus.

For faculty and staff eager to dive deeper into these topics, the FSAII team will be a key presence at the upcoming Tech Open House. Stationed in “AI Alley,” they are inviting the UD community to share their experiences, success stories, and questions about navigating this new technological frontier.

Responsible AI: A Core Pillar

A prevailing theme for the Institute is the ethical and responsible use of AI. While AI presents incredible opportunities to boost productivity, the leadership team acknowledges the valid concerns surrounding data privacy, transparency, and model accuracy.

“Clearly, a lot of people are very concerned,” explained Rudi Eigenmann. “As much as AI is an excellent tool, they're also very concerned about responsible AI and some of the negatives. It's so important that we actually made that a priority—one of our main pillars next to education, operations, and research.”

John Huffman echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that AI readiness requires more than just knowing how to prompt a chatbot. “A lot of these AI engines are very new and want to please us, so we have to be very careful with the answers…It's not just using the tool, but understanding how to use it responsibly,” he noted.

Innovating Campus Operations: Meet HenChat

Beyond the classroom, FSAII is actively exploring how AI can streamline campus operations. One of the most highly anticipated projects discussed by the panel is the development of “HenChat,” a specialized, internal chat system designed specifically for the UD community.

Unlike public, hyper-scalar models like ChatGPT or public Gemini interfaces, HenChat aims to provide a secure environment for processing local, private university information. “One of the big concerns is, what if I enter information that is really sort of private and I don't want that to be shared?” Eigenmann pointed out. “By having our own version of such a tool, we have better control over what information gets shared with others.”

Sunita Chandrasekaran added that the Institute is currently brainstorming how to build, house, and integrate HenChat so that it complements existing campus tools like UD Study AiDE and UDCompanion, which will also be at Tech Open House. By building out university-controlled systems and infrastructure, UD can experiment safely without being entirely beholden to external tech giants.

The Ignite AI Challenge & DARWIN Symposium

The UD community is already stepping up to the plate to solve complex problems using this technology. The inaugural Ignite AI Challenge has sparked a wave of innovation across campus, and the leaders have been incredibly impressed by the submissions.

Eigenmann expressed pleasant surprise at the sheer breadth of ideas submitted by UD teams, ranging from text analysis to robotics and neuroscience. “We have seen a lot of case studies from across disciplines, which is really wonderful,” Chandrasekaran added.

The culmination of this challenge will take place at the free-to-attend DARWIN Computing Symposium on March 12, 2026, where judges will make their final decisions and teams will present their groundbreaking proposals.

Getting AI-Ready: Join the Conversation at Tech Open House

So, what is the most important skill UD employees can develop right now to become AI-ready? According to the FSAII leaders, the answer is simple: dive in.

“Use the tools, get experience with it,” advised Eigenmann. “Get your hands dirty.”

As faculty and staff explore tools to boost productivity, the FSAII team wants to hear all about it. At the upcoming Tech Open House in AI Alley, they are looking forward to engaging directly with the campus community.

“We'd love to hear what has worked well for you and then share these stories with others so that we can all boost our productivity in research, in education, in operations,” said Eigenmann. Chandrasekaran agreed, noting she is eager to learn how far users are pushing the limits of AI assistants and where they are "hitting the wall."

Whether you are an AI enthusiast or still a bit skeptical, the First State AI Institute team is ready to help you navigate this transformative technology. Be sure to stop by AI Alley at the Tech Open House to share your insights, ask questions, and help shape a human-centered AI future at the University of Delaware.