KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – One local university is working to balance the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence with its mission to remain a technological leader in the Midwest.
Dr. Sandra Cassady, president of Rockhurst University, traveled to Rome this summer alongside more than a dozen presidents of Jesuit institutions from across the United States, Canada, and Belize. The trip featured historic sights and high-level academic meetings. On top of this, Dr. Cassady met with Pope Leo XIV, the first Pope from the United States.
“He knows our cities, he knows our schools, so when I said Rockhurst University in Kansas City, he got excited,” said Dr. Cassady, emphasizing the connection upon meeting him.
The meeting comes at a critical time for technological ethics. The Pope has previously called for robust global regulation of artificial intelligence to safeguard humanity from its potential extreme impacts.
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Dr. Sandra Cassady met Pope Leo XIV while at the Vatican over the summer.(Vatican Media)
Dr. Cassady emphasized that Rockhurst University embraces a deep responsibility to teach AI both proactively and ethically, grounding modern technological training in traditional Jesuit values.
However, using AI presents inevitable challenges.
“We encourage our students to learn content and use AI to find out what they would learn if they ran a question through AI, but then to really lean into the liberal arts skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving,” said Cassady.
Dr. Cassady prays with students at Rockhurst University.(Rockhurst University)
A primary challenge is the technology’s inherent unreliability.
“Not all of its 100% accurate, right? And so we need ways to verify the accuracy and the ethical use of it,” said Dr. Cassady.
Funding the Future: A $1.03 Million Tech Expansion
To address these challenges and prepare students for an AI-driven workforce, Rockhurst is expanding its academic footprint.
The university recently secured a $1.031 million community project funding grant, championed by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-5th District). The federal funding will directly expand Rockhurst’s technology-focused degree programs, specifically in data analytics and artificial intelligence, allowing the school to teach ethical tech at scale.
With this new expansion, Dr. Cassady shared a promise for the local community.
“We’re in the city for good,” said Cassady.
For more information on Rockhurst University’s tech endeavors, visit their website.
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