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Continuing Our Conversations on AI

Dear Dartmouth community members,

The last time I wrote to you on this topic, I was overwhelmed in the best possible way. More than 500 people registered for our Oct. 8 listening session and roundtable discussion on AI and nearly 400 showed up. It was an incredible response to a challenging time and an affirmation that we really are the close-knit community that I signed up to join just a few years ago. Thank you to our faculty panelists and Dartmouth Student Government for co-hosting.

For those who were unable to attend, here are the themes of what your peers and colleagues shared that day:

  • The need for clear guidelines and AI literacy workshops: Participants want clear guidance and expectations for all faculty, staff, and students. Rather than wanting a universal policy, participants are interested in shared principles that can be adapted across spaces. Many want to explore human-led AI literacy training that explains not just how to use AI but also why one might choose to engage with it.
  • The role AI has in certain tasks: Several groups suggest that AI should be used in logistical tasks such as note-taking, record-keeping, data synthesis, and coding that people already know how to perform themselves, rather than in creative work, writing courses, or work that depends on human relationships. Many groups stressed the need to “struggle,” or put effort, in order to learn. Thus, AI might interfere with key parts of the learning process for those still developing skills, as opposed to those who have already mastered an area. Using AI as a supplement requires foundational knowledge of the area, so work can never be completely “offloaded” to AI.
  • The environmental cost of AI: Many groups urged Dartmouth to consider the environmental impact of using AI. Data centers are known to utilize large amounts of water and energy and affect some communities disproportionately. This should be considered in tandem with conversations about Dartmouth’s AI usage.
  • Fast-changing climate and concerns: Most groups noted the need to take a step back and take time to understand the full impacts of using generative AI tools. There is great variability in the use of and comfort with AI, and many participants noted their reluctance to use it in certain contexts or at all. It is a polarizing topic and participants noted concerns that included privacy, security, and intellectual property. Students, staff, and faculty alike were in support of ”AI free” spaces for those who choose not to utilize these tools. There is interest in future listening sessions and adopting a “bottom-up” approach to how Dartmouth uses AI.

If you were unable to attend our last event—or if you’re hoping to continue engaging with others on this topic—here are a few upcoming opportunities to come together, share, and listen:

Finally, the two-day conference "AI at 70: What Must Remain Human?" begins next Thursday, and every session will be livestreamed. Consider hosting a watch party and discussion of a session that relates to your class, academic unit, team, or student organization. The topics range from “Rural Opportunity in the Age of AI: A New Frontier for Innovation and Investment,” and “Can We Trust Visual Imagery Anymore?” to a presidential panel on how universities navigate AI’s toughest questions and the Dartmouth faculty-led “What Happens to Us?: Race and Writing in the Age of AI.” See the full schedule.

Thank you for your willingness to continue engaging openly—and in a distinctly human way—with these challenging topics.


Jennifer Rosales

Senior Vice President of Community and Campus Life
Chief Student Affairs Officer

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Jennifer Rosales

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