Exploring emerging technologies: Fall 2023 Semester in Review
In the transformative year of 2023, Enterprise Technology celebrated remarkable milestones empowered by emerging technologies. We have gathered insights from our dynamic community of leaders, technologists, and educators to develop new ways of serving learners and shaping the future of the modern university.
Honing our focus on leveraging advanced technology, particularly artificial intelligence, Enterprise Technology continues to pursue its goal of elevating the learning experience for every student and enhancing the workflow of each employee.
Across each semester, we craft two reports — “By the Numbers” and “Semester in Review” — showcasing our continuous progress in propelling the ASU community towards excellence.
By the Numbers
The fall 2023 “By the Numbers” report shows progress in scaling, serving, learning, protecting and thriving at ASU. It tells us not just how well our teams did but how much they accomplished.
Fall 2023 semester recap: Key stories
Throughout the past semester, our newsroom has covered exciting developments centered around technological advancements, especially artificial intelligence (AI).
Each narrative dives into the ambitious efforts of our students, learners, faculty, and staff, highlighting their dedication to staying current with technological progress and leveraging it to enhance learning outcomes.
These stories underscore ASU's commitment to responsible innovation, both on campus and across the wider Arizona community.
Here are the story arcs encompassing our fall 2023 semester.
Over 1,000 Sun Devils enroll in ASU’s generative AI training course
ASU’s self-paced training course, Teaching and Learning with Generative AI, was launched to assist faculty and students in navigating generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly. With over 1,000 enrolled participants, the course aims to support the ethical use of generative AI and foster a community of shared learning across ASU.
ASU Pocket launches into open beta for the Sun Devil community
ASU launched its open beta of ASU Pocket, a digital wallet available on Google Play and the App Store, which empowers students by securely storing verifiable credentials such as badges, academic records, and employment achievements. ASU envisions this digital wallet as a tool for individuals to manage a diverse portfolio of digital credentials, increasing access and shareability across institutions and employers. The app is scheduled to be released to all in 2024.
2. Campus-to-community
Putting digital equity on the map, literally
ASU has launched AZ-1, a digital equity initiative to bridge the broadband access gap in Maricopa County. The initiative boasts a comprehensive broadband mapping project that combines data sources to provide vast insights into connectivity, helping city leaders identify areas in need and support economic development opportunities in underserved communities.
ASU’s Next Lab charts the future of skills and tech
ASU's Next Lab, formerly known as Learning Futures, is reimagining the future of technology and skills, focusing on areas like spatial computing, artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and immersive technologies. The lab collaborates with diverse groups to explore emerging technologies, cultivate future-ready skills, and activate interdisciplinary collaboration to shape interactions and insights that positively impact society.
3. Partnerships to fuel innovation
ASU and AWS collaborate to promote AI transformation on a global scale
ASU and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the next phase of the ASU Cloud Innovation Center, powered by AWS: together, they will advance the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector. The launch of the ASU Artificial Intelligence Cloud Innovation Center (AICIC), powered by AWS, expands the effective use of AI for public sector organizations on a global scale — including global government agencies, education institutions, and nonprofits — to address their mission-related challenges and uncover new opportunities.
ASU and Salesforce celebrate 10 years of partnership
ASU celebrated a decade of collaboration with Salesforce, making the partnership one of the largest Salesforce implementations in higher education. A 10-year anniversary gathering highlighted the many successes both organizations achieved together and emphasized the pivotal role of Salesforce in advancing ASU's mission, with over 5,000 licensed users across the university utilizing various tools to enhance their workflows.
4. Events
ASU celebrates Cybersecurity Awareness Month at the annual Digital Trust Summit
The artificial intelligence industry is rapidly developing, with an expected annual growth rate of 37.3% from now to 2030. Placing a particular focus on digital trust and ethics, ASU spotlighted its efforts toward advancing AI at the third annual Digital Trust Summit. Featuring several thought leaders and experts discussing the impact of generative AI on education, the event underscored the importance of designing the future of AI with challenges related to privacy and security in mind.
The right data tools for the right data jobs: Inside the 7th annual ASU Data Conference
The seventh annual ASU Data Conference focused on connecting students, faculty, and technologists with the right data tools for their roles, emphasizing networking as a critical function of successful data careers. The hybrid event featured a Data Tool Bar, sessions on accessible data visualizations, and addressed themes of artificial intelligence and automation, providing insights into ASU-specific data applications across departments.
