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<\/a><\/p>\nThat includes everything from using AI to improve course design and assignments to helping students understand how to apply AI tools in real-world settings.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started offering programming for our faculty related to AI in the classroom, including ways faculty could use AI to improve course experiences for students,\u201d Gestring said.<\/p>\n
At the same time, USD has invested in enterprise-level AI tools that allow students and faculty to work within a secure environment \u2014 ensuring that data remains protected while still providing hands-on experience.<\/p>\n
The result is an approach that prepares students not just to use AI but also to use it responsibly.<\/p>\n
Liberal arts advantage<\/p>\n
What sets USD apart, leaders said, is how AI intersects with the humanities.<\/p>\n
From philosophy and ethics to political science, business and English, the university is positioned to address the broader questions surrounding AI \u2014 not just how it works but how it should be used.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really do think we have strengths in philosophy,\u201d Gestring said. \u201cThere are a lot of ethics questions as it relates to AI \u2014 making sure individuals are using AI ethically and safely in a way that adds value.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those questions extend into policy, law, communication and critical thinking \u2014 areas where a liberal arts education plays a central role.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt holds your ability to question: Is this real?\u201d Gestring said. \u201cThat\u2019s becoming more and more important.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s about teaching students how to use AI, not rely on it. In the classroom, faculty are working to strike a careful balance: encouraging students to use AI as a tool while ensuring that they maintain their own voice and critical thinking skills.<\/p>\n
Mandie Weinandt, Ph.D., director of the Center for Teaching and Learning and an instructor in the Beacom School of Business, works closely with faculty to integrate AI into teaching.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/usd-Weinandt.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Her guiding question: How will it benefit students in their future careers?<\/p>\n
\u201cI encourage students to use it for tutoring support,\u201d she said, noting that many students complete coursework late at night when instructors aren\u2019t available.<\/p>\n
At the same time, she emphasizes the importance of engagement and understanding.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can we interact with it more meaningfully so you\u2019re using it as a tool and not a crutch?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Weinandt also works with faculty across campus through workshops and one-on-one support, helping them design assignments that incorporate AI intentionally.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not, \u2018We\u2019re going to use AI,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018What are we trying to accomplish\u2019 and how does the tool support that goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
That approach reflects a broader emphasis on AI literacy \u2014 ensuring that students understand both the capabilities and limitations of the technology.<\/p>\n
AI across disciplines<\/p>\n
AI is being integrated into programs across campus, often in ways tailored to specific fields.<\/p>\n
In the department of physical therapy, assistant professor Jed Droge, DPT, has developed AI-powered virtual patient simulations that allow students to practice clinical skills in a low-stakes environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese AI-driven patients respond dynamically to student questions,\u201d he said, helping learners refine their interviewing and clinical reasoning skills.<\/p>\n
Student response has been strong: More than 90 percent of users said they would like to see more virtual patients incorporated into coursework.<\/p>\n
Droge sees AI as a tool that will enhance, not replace, professional practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is not for students to rely on AI for answers but to use it thoughtfully to support clinical reasoning and ultimately provide safe, effective patient care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In political science and professional writing courses, assistant professor Anuhhav Gupta, Ph.D., uses AI to help students improve communication and better understand complex topics.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
He frames AI as a collaborative tool \u2014 one that can help generate ideas and refine writing but still requires human direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI by itself often produces flat and soulless writing,\u201d he said. \u201cStudents still need to control the big picture and verify the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gupta said AI-assisted writing is already becoming a critical professional skill, and teaching students how to use it effectively gives them an advantage.<\/p>\n
In media and journalism courses, assistant professor Agnes Bao, Ph.D, is teaching students how to work with AI strategically \u2014 and responsibly.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USD-Bao.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Bao incorporates AI into courses such as Social Media Marketing and Internet Marketing Communication, where students use AI tools to help develop marketing concepts, audience targeting and visual content.<\/p>\n
One exercise teaches students to shape AI outputs by assigning specific roles and context through prompts, while another explores AI-generated imagery through editing techniques such as inpainting and outpainting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese activities position AI as a tool for rapid prototyping, allowing students to test ideas and refine strategy before final execution,\u201d Bao said.<\/p>\n
At the same time, she emphasizes that students remain accountable for the work.<\/p>\n
\u201cI emphasize responsible use: Students must critically evaluate AI outputs, document their prompts and remain accountable for the final decisions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI is not the strategist \u2014 they are. In this sense, AI functions as a collaborative partner that supports but does not replace their strategic thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her students often quickly recognize both the opportunities and limitations of AI, she said, including how vague prompts can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes or bias.<\/p>\n
Those discussions frequently lead into broader conversations around ethics, copyright, accountability and responsible use.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe real opportunity lies not just in the technology itself but in strong human oversight and the development of clearer ethical standards,\u201d Bao said.<\/p>\n
Preparing students \u2014 and the broader community<\/p>\n
Beyond the classroom, USD sees AI education as part of its broader public mission.<\/p>\n
That includes educating industry partners, engaging in research collaborations and participating in national conversations about the future of AI.<\/p>\n
University leaders regularly connect with peers and industry experts across the country to stay current as the field evolves.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think anyone who says they\u2019re on the leading edge is probably on the leading edge for about two days,\u201d Gestring said.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Psychology-Branding-2024-45.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nInstead, USD\u2019s approach focuses on continuous learning, adaptation and collaboration.<\/p>\n
Recent survey data from USD students, faculty and staff suggests that AI literacy already is becoming embedded across campus.<\/p>\n
More than 73 percent of respondents indicated moderate to extreme familiarity with AI tools, while only 3.3 percent reported no familiarity at all.<\/p>\n
Students overwhelmingly connected AI literacy with future career opportunities. Eighty-three percent of graduate students and 60 percent of undergraduate students agreed that understanding AI will strengthen career opportunities.<\/p>\n
Many already are using the technology in academic settings. Sixty-one percent of graduate students and 46 percent of undergraduate students said AI helps improve efficiency and productivity in their work.<\/p>\n
Faculty responses reflected a similarly balanced perspective.<\/p>\n
While 83 percent of faculty said AI tools provide some benefit in their daily work at USD, many also expressed caution about relying too heavily on the technology in student-centered areas such as grading and feedback.<\/p>\n
The results mirror USD\u2019s broader approach to AI integration: embracing the technology\u2019s potential while maintaining a strong emphasis on human judgment, ethics and critical thinking.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re sending students into a workforce where AI is a reality,\u201d Weinandt said. \u201cWe have to prepare them for that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"May 11, 2026 This piece is sponsored by the University of South Dakota. Across the University of South…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35024,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[24,25,22249,4401],"class_list":["post-35023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ai","tag-ai","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-university-of-south-dakota","tag-usd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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