Strategic Vision and Ethical Guardrails
In its report, the task force urged the creation of an institute anchored by specialized campus centers. It outlined core responsibilities that include developing three-, five- and 10-year strategic plans for AI research, promoting foundational AI scholarship and implementing “strategic cluster hires” to deepen institutional expertise.
The report also called for the institute to spearhead efforts to secure federal funding and forge partnerships with industry leaders such as OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and AWS. Oversight of ethical AI policies and facilitation of cross-campus collaboration were identified as essential pillars.
Task force members recommended that each campus host one or more specialized AI centers tailored to its strengths, while certain cross-cutting areas of expertise would be centralized at the institute level to encourage faculty collaboration across campuses.
Campus-Specific AI Missions
The University of Nebraska Medical Center will concentrate on AI in health care, prioritizing AI-driven innovation, clinical decision support tools and ethical frameworks for health-related AI applications.
At UNL, the focus will turn to agriculture — a cornerstone of Nebraska’s economy. Initiatives will emphasize partnerships with agricultural industries, AI tools for rural and farm optimization, and recruitment and training in agricultural technology.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha will house the Center for AI, Urban Innovation and Business. Its efforts will include smart urban infrastructure development, cybersecurity research, AI integration into business and legal contexts, and professional training in AI ethics.
The University of Nebraska at Kearney will center its work on workforce development and rural advancement, offering specialized AI training, tools to improve education delivery and pathways for technology commercialization benefiting rural enterprises.
