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AI Futures Working Group

As artificial intelligence reshapes society, Virginia Tech's vision for AI is rooted in a simple belief: the true value of technology is determined by its ability to better serve humanity. 

Through the lens of the university’s land-grant mission and its motto of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), the university has adopted a vision for leading in the responsible, ethical, and human-centered use of AI.

To help define that path, Sands convened the AI Futures Working Group. The university-wide committee was charged with developing a vision for how Virginia Tech will teach, research, deploy, and lead on artificial intelligence in the years ahead. Co-chairs Warren Dixon and Rishi Jaitly led a broad, cross-disciplinary effort to shape the framework. The Office for Strategic Affairs facilitated the committee, aligning the vision with community perspectives on AI's role in the future of higher education gathered through the university's continuous strategic planning process.

Virginia Tech's Vison for AI

At Virginia Tech, we believe that the true value of any technology lies in its ability to enhance the human experience and expand human opportunity. Guided by our land-grant mission and the spirit of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), we shape the future of AI with an eye on teaching, research and service, and dedicate ourselves long-term to setting a new standard for a technology that serves the public interest and the people of Virginia Tech. By fostering a culture that centers AI-fluency and ethical responsibility, we empower our community to interrogate, steward, and harness these technologies to address the questions and challenges that impact the future of how we learn, work and live. In so doing, we lead a wider regional, national, and global conversation through listening, learning, and leadership.
AI Futures Working Group Members 

Co-chairs:

  • Rishi Jaitly, Professor of Practice and Distinguished Humanities Fellow in the Center for Humanities
  • Warren Dixon, Dean of College of Engineering

Members:

  • France Belanger, University Distinguished Professor, R. B. Pamplin Professor, Byrd Senior Faculty Fellow, Fellow, Association for Information Systems
  • Jeffrey Loeffert, Director, School of Performing Arts
  • Dale Pike, Associate Vice Provost for Technology-Enhanced Learning
  • Sharon Pitt, Vice President for Information and Technology
  • Lauren Pollard, Director of Strategic Affairs
  • Naren Ramakrishnan, University Distinguished Professor, Thomas L. Phillips Professor in the Department of Computer Science
  • Sarah Rodriguez, Associate Professor, 2026 Microsoft AI Economy Institute Fellow