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VNR: ������Ƶ launches free ‘AI for Hawaiʻi’ course for everyone

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As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms the workforce and daily life, the University of Hawaiʻi is making AI education available to everyone with a new, free online course designed for the people of Hawaiʻi and beyond.

Artificial Intelligence for Hawaiʻi is an open-access, self-paced course that provides foundational AI knowledge and practical skills while addressing responsible and ethical use through a Hawaiʻi lens. Free and available to anyone (no ������Ƶ affiliation or login required), the course is part of ������Ƶ’s broader effort to serve as a statewide leader and trusted resource as AI reshapes education, business, government and the workforce.

Demand for AI skills is surging globally, making broad access to AI education increasingly important. Eighty percent of hiring managers consider AI skills a priority when evaluating candidates, according to CNBC, and 60% of employers are already assigning interns projects involving AI tools, according to the National Association of Colleges + Employers. ������Ƶ President Wendy Hensel says ������Ƶ has both an opportunity and a responsibility to help Hawaiʻi navigate this transformation.

“AI is transforming the way we work, learn and live, and Hawaiʻi cannot afford to sit on the sidelines,” Hensel said. “������Ƶ has both an opportunity and a responsibility to help our state lead through this change. That means making AI education accessible to everyone and giving people the practical skills to use these tools effectively, responsibly and in ways that reflect Hawaiʻi’s values.”

Demystifying AI

Hosted on the ������Ƶ OneAI Hub, the self-paced course uses instructional videos, Hawaiʻi-based examples and hands-on activities to make AI understandable and useful for people at all levels of experience. It is designed not only for ������Ƶ students and employees, but for anyone who wants to better understand and use AI, from educators and government employees to small business owners, nonprofit organizations and individual community members.

The course was also informed by ������Ƶ experts in Hawaiian values, culture, language and ʻike Hawaiʻi. A ������Ƶ Task Force on Hawaiian Values and Culture examined issues unique to the development and use of AI in Hawaiʻi, including appropriate protocols for how ʻike and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi resources should be used and what kinds of information should, and should not, be contributed to AI systems.

The 12 chapters take participants from basic AI literacy to practical applications:

• Chapters 1–3: AI fundamentals — How AI and machine learning work, along with key issues including bias, fairness and transparency.
• Chapters 4–6: Responsible AI and stewardship — Ethical AI use for individuals and organizations, AI’s environmental impact and opportunities to support conservation and climate resilience.
• Chapters 7–9: Education and strategy — How AI is changing teaching, learning, academic integrity and organizational operations.
• Chapters 10–12: Workplace and industry — Practical AI skills, including advanced prompting, and applications in Hawaiʻi industries such as tourism and agriculture.

“This course empowers our ������Ƶ campuses and local communities to actively shape how we use AI to make our island home better," said Gloria Niles, ������Ƶ chief academic technology innovation officer. "By focusing our exploration on transparency and responsible deployment within a Hawaiʻi context, we can thoughtfully integrate these technologies while honoring our core values."

Building Hawaiʻi’s AI capacity

AI for Hawaiʻi is part of a broader ������Ƶ strategy to help prepare the state for an AI-augmented future and serve as a trusted resource for individuals, educators, businesses, government agencies and communities navigating the rapidly evolving technology.

Through the OneAI Hub, ������Ƶ is bringing together AI education, training and resources, including AI Communities of Practice and the AI 2 Xcelerate program. The university’s broader AI strategy encompasses governance, curriculum, workforce development, research and operations.

������Ƶ is also expanding the use and understanding of AI across its 10 campuses, including AI-powered student advising and 24/7 chatbots, faculty development through EL3vate and AI Innovation@RISE, which connects students across the ������Ƶ System with local industries to address real-world needs.

The free AI for Hawaiʻi course is available now through the ������Ƶ OneAI Hub. No ������Ƶ affiliation or login is required.

VIDEO: B-roll (1 minute, 51 seconds)

0:00-1:51: Artificial intelligence (AI) online course

SOUNDBITES:

Wendy Hensel, ������Ƶ President (15 seconds)

“These 12 courses will ensure that everyone has equal access to basic training and knowledge about AI, about how to be ethical, how to apply it, and how to ensure that our workforce continues to move forward so that Hawaiʻi benefits during this transition.”

Gloria Niles, ������Ƶ Chief Academic Technology Innovation Officer (15 seconds)

“We really felt this course was designed for anyone from a student entering their college career to a legislator who's trying to understand how to govern AI, at the state level.”

Hensel (12 seconds)

“We're here to help solve problems for small businesses, for government, for industry, to help find solutions with AI, and again to ensure that we are on the cutting edge as these changes hit the state of Hawaiʻi.”