University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto announced the launch of the Commonwealth AI Transdisciplinary Strategy, a program to advance artificial intelligence across UK, in a campus-wide email.

According to the Nov. 13 email, CATS AI is a strategic framework that “catalyzes and coordinates” AI activity across UK libraries, research centers, institutes and the academic healthcare system.

“UK must lead in this moment,” Capilouto said. “We must appropriately use AI to enhance and accelerate achieving our commitment to the Commonwealth. And we must start now.”

CATS AI brings together AI initiatives being launched across campus into a centralized location, Capilouto said in the email, including stakeholders and resources.

“No doubt, we have many among us who are already making this recognition and responding,” Capilouto said in the email. “We must build on the work of our colleagues who have developed and adopted AI in their teaching, research, scholarship and workflows already.”

Under the Advancing Kentucky Together Network, the program will connect UK with partners across Kentucky and more, to improve health, education and workforce development.

Capilouto said the university is still searching for a permanent director. However, the initiative will be initially led by Ian McClure, UK HealthCare’s vice president for innovation, and Heath Price, associate vice president for partnerships.

The program will also be made up of five subcommittees: education, research, students, healthcare, and administration and workplace, to address specific needs and propose area-specific ideas to a leadership council.

Additionally, there will be an AI roadmap and a team to manage initiatives and “support integration of training and partner resources.”

With the addition of CATS AI, Capiloto said new AI platforms, tools, resources and training will become available to faculty, students, and staff.

Among the resources are immersive AI experiences within hospital rooms, AI-integrated residence halls and AI-focused courses and certificate programs.

“Just as our predecessors built institutions to meet the needs of a changing world, we must lead again,” Capilouto said via email. “To ensure Kentucky not only keeps pace with change but helps shape it.”

More information can be found on the CATS AI website.