News and Events
Stay informed about the latest advancements, initiatives, and events in artificial intelligence across the University of California. From cutting-edge research and innovative projects to conferences, workshops, and seminars, our AI News and Events section is your gateway to the vibrant AI community at UC. Explore how our thought leaders, educators, and students are pioneering AI technologies and applications to reimagine and enhance higher education, research, and public service.
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Click here to explore Artificial Intelligence News across the University of California.

Webinar: The AI Roadmap: Driving from Idea to Innovation
During this session, UC’s AI experts will examine the full trajectory of AI adoption and key considerations along the way. We will explore how to build a business use case, navigate risk assessment processes and vet external vendors or leverage existing AI tools to accelerate AI implementation.
- When: May 21, 12 – 1 p.m. (PT)
- Where: Zoom. Register to receive the link.
Speakers:
- Shohreh Bozorgmehri, Director of Student and Academic Services, UC Irvine; AI Strategic Advisor, UC Investments
- Neeraj Chauhan, Chief Technology Officer, UC Davis
- Pegah Parsi, Chief Privacy Officer, UC San Diego
- Brett Pollack, Executive Director, IT Services, UC San Diego
- Roshni Pratap, Director, IT Category Management; Interim Executive Director, Sourcing and Value Execution, UCOP
For questions or to request an ADA accommodation, please contact the ECAS General Compliance Analyst mailbox.
Webinar: Mitigating Risk through Awareness: A Framework for AI Literacy
This session tackles the question: "How do we upskill our system’s AI literacy?" We will focus on defining AI literacy and AI for practical use to ensure faculty and staff understand not just how to use AI, but the ethics and responsibilities of doing so by identifying resources to support these efforts. We will share ideas or strategies for engaging faculty and staff on AI literacy.
When: June 3, 2026, 12pm-1pm
Where: Registration Link
Hosted by: UC AI Council
Speakers:
- Jenny Bombasaro Brady – IT Policy Program Manager, UC Berkeley
- Lisa Leiva – Head of Instructional Design, UC San Francisco
- Douglas McSkimming - Chief of Staff, UC Berkeley
- Joe Sabado – Deputy Chief Information Officer, UC Santa Barbara
For questions or to request an ADA accommodation, please contact the ECAS General Compliance Analyst mailbox.
Click here to explore up to date Artificial Intelligence News across the University of California.
News Archive
Ushering in a New Era of AI-Driven Data Insights at UC San Diego
Brett Pollak, Jack Brzezinski and Vince Kellen release a new article on Educause on TritonGPT which is a suite of AI-powered assistants designed to streamline administrative tasks, enhance productivity, and provide institution-specific insights by retrieving, summarizing, and generating content securely.
AI and the Struggle for Control over Research
Günter Waibel, Executive Director, California Digital Library, and Dave Hansen, Executive Director of the Authors Alliance, writes about the intersection of AI and the scholarly published literature – AI and the Struggle for Control over Research.
Curious about the Future of AI Governance?
Brandie Nonnecke, director of the CITRIS Policy Lab and UC AI Council member, dives into this topic with Minister Clara Chappaz, French Minister of AI and Digitalization, in Nonnecke’s TechHype Live! Join Nonnecke and Chappaz in a dynamic discussion on the international AI governance landscape, its challenges, and the potential paths forward.
All-Staff Forum on Artificial Intelligence
On November, 18, 2024, UC Berkeley hosted an All-Staff Forum on Artificial Intelligence that included a fireside chat with former EEOC commissioner Keith Sonderling on the use of AI in the employment setting, and remarks and discussion with Camille Crittenden, Executive Director of CITRIS and the Banatao Institute and UC AI Council member, and Kara Ganter, Director of Digital Education in UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division.
The Future of AI Is Now - UCSD
UC San Diego examines recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics, and their impact on various industries and daily life. The article addresses ethical concerns and potential effects on jobs and society, and highlights UCSD's role in AI research and its preparations for upcoming challenges and opportunities.
California has problems. AI can help solve them. | University of California
UC investigates how AI can solve key issues in California, including healthcare, transportation, and environmental management. The article covers AI applications like predicting wildfires, improving traffic flow, and personalizing medicine, while stressing the importance of developing and using AI responsibly to benefit society.
Three fixes for AI's bias problem | UCLA
UCLA tackles AI bias through three key strategies: increasing diversity within development teams to broaden perspectives, enhancing transparency for better understanding and auditing of AI decisions, and integrating ethical guidelines into development to ensure fairness. These approaches aim to reduce biased outcomes and promote equitable benefits from AI technology.
UC Health experts highlight the need for transparency and equity in integrating AI into healthcare. They emphasize that while AI can enhance patient care, it must be implemented carefully to prevent biases and disparities. Key considerations include clear communication about AI systems, involving diverse stakeholders in development, and continuous monitoring to ensure fairness.
How artificial intelligence gave a paralyzed woman her voice back | UCSF
UCSF highlights a groundbreaking development in AI-assisted medical technology. Researchers have used artificial intelligence to help a paralyzed woman regain her communication ability. By decoding neural signals associated with speech and translating them into text, the AI system allows her to "speak" through a computer. This innovative approach is a significant step forward in assistive technology, offering new hope and improved quality of life for individuals with severe disabilities.
Using AI to Analyze Wildfire Impacts | UC Davis
UC Davis discusses a toolkit designed to assess ecosystem resilience to wildfires, and highlights the development of a comprehensive framework to help land managers and stakeholders evaluate how well different ecosystems can withstand and recover from fire events. The toolkit incorporates a range of indicators and data to provide insights into factors like vegetation, soil health, and biodiversity. By using this toolkit, users can make informed decisions about fire management and conservation strategies to better support ecosystem resilience in the face of increasing wildfire risks.
UC explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can perpetuate discrimination, mainly through algorithms used by online platforms like Google. AI systems, often trained on biased data, can reinforce existing inequalities by making decisions that reflect and amplify societal prejudices. This can lead to discriminatory outcomes in various domains, such as job hiring or loan approvals.
Can AI Increase Air Traffic Safety? | UC Merced
UC Merced explores how artificial intelligence (AI) could enhance air traffic safety. Researchers at the university are investigating AI's potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of air traffic control systems. By analyzing vast amounts of data and predicting potential issues, AI could help prevent accidents and reduce human error. The study emphasizes that while AI holds promise for increasing safety, it must be carefully integrated with existing systems and protocols to ensure reliability and effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
Using AI to get people out of their cars and into HOVs | UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley's College of Engineering discusses how researchers are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to encourage people to switch from driving alone to using high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs). The AI system analyzes traffic patterns, vehicle occupancy, and other factors to optimize carpooling strategies and improve the efficiency of HOV lanes. By providing real-time recommendations and incentives, the goal is to reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and make commuting more sustainable.
Using AI in Pursuit of Better Bike Paths | UC Santa Barbara
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara are developing an AI-driven map to improve bike paths in the Santa Barbara region, supported by a $480,000 grant from the California Department of Transportation. The project aims to classify and map bike routes based on comfort levels and create a universal wayfinding system. This initiative hopes to enhance cyclist safety, accessibility, and encourage biking over driving, potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
UC Santa Cruz researchers have developed a large language model that operates on just 13 watts, similar to the energy used by a lightbulb. They achieved this by eliminating matrix multiplication, the most energy-intensive component, and using custom hardware. The model maintains performance comparable to state-of-the-art models like Meta’s Llama while being over 50 times more efficient than typical hardware.
UCR Professor Joins UN Panel on Environmental Impacts of AI | UCR
UC Riverside professor Shaolei Ren joined a UN panel to discuss the environmental impacts of AI, focusing on its carbon emissions and water consumption. He shared his research on minimizing AI's environmental footprint, highlighting the significant resources required for data processing centers. His work, including a paper on AI's water footprint, has gained international recognition and influence.