Inaugural AI Summit at UNO Showcases the Future of AI in Education and Workforce Innovation

published: 2025/03/14
contact: UNO Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives (ILCI)
email: innovate@unomaha.edu

A panel of five experts sits in front of a large screen, with one panelist speaking into a microphone, while an engaged audience listens.

A panel facilitated by Associate Vice Chancellor of Innovative & Learning-Centric Initiatives, Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D. (far left), and featured (from left): Fabio Mori (OpenAI), Michelle Clark (Union Pacific), Noni Williams (Blue Cross Blue Shield), Albert Varas (Latino Center of the Midlands), and Dr. Victor Winter (UNO’s College of IS&T).

A wide-angle view of a packed room at the AI Summit, showing attendees listening to a panel discussion at the front of the room.

The event was a critical dialogue about AI’s impact on education, business, and the workforce hosted by UNO's AI Learning Lab.

A presenter in a black coat speaks to an audience while demonstrating an AI-powered tool on a large screen behind him. The display shows a chatbot interface.

Seung Kyeom Kim, a Ph.D. student and graduate research assistant in the Department of Biomechanics, gives a demonstration on a custom-tuned large language model (LLM) dedicated to biomechanics research.

A woman in a black blazer and orange blouse speaks into a microphone in front of a projector screen, addressing an audience in a classroom setting at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Cassie Mallette, Program Manager for the AI Learning Lab and Senior Instructional Designer, welcomes attendees to the AI Summit.

Artificial intelligence has been at the center of conversations regarding education, emerging technologies, best practices for business, employee upskilling, and more. This past week, community members, staff, faculty, and students gathered for the inaugural AI Summit at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) to showcase and discover new ways to implement AI technologies.

Hosted by the Division for Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives (ILCI), the summit highlighted real-world applications of generative AI at UNO and across Omaha. The message? AI is here, and those who embrace it will thrive. Artificial intelligence is transforming industries, reshaping workflows, and redefining the skills needed for the future. This panel brought together industry leaders and higher education professionals to explore how AI is being implemented to drive innovation and efficiency.

Panelists included:

Fabio Mori (OpenAI)
Michelle Clark (Union Pacific)
Noni Williams (Blue Cross Blue Shield)
Albert Varas (Latino Center of the Midlands)
Dr. Victor Winter (UNO’s College of IS&T)

One thing was quite clear: As the future of work becomes increasingly technology-driven, employees need to upskill to meet the demands of a changing workforce– and students are uniquely positioned to acquire those skills before entering the job market. UNO is stepping up, equipping students with the knowledge and expertise needed to become valuable assets to any organization through the leadership of the AI Learning Lab.

The AI Learning Lab at UNO provides exciting opportunities to leverage AI in teaching and learning, research, and campus operations. One major initiative is the Open AI Challenge, where faculty and staff members can get access to enterprise versions of ChatGPT and develop custom applications for generative AI. ILCI also offers multiple microcredential courses to help make AI learning accessible to all. Finally, UNO is proud to offer Nebraska’s first artificial intelligence degree program: a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence.

Breakouts at the AI Summit set out to showcase how many folks have already begun to use AI on campus, including topics like:

Using generative AI for hybrid strategic decision-making
Transforming student support through automation and personalization
Leveraging AI in research, teaching, and service
Gamifying learning with AI
Using AI as a copywriting assistant
Developing comprehensive exams in athletic training
And much more

AI Learning Lab Program Manager Cassie Mallette shared that the OpenAI Challenge has already funded 24 AI projects in just nine months—with more in the pipeline. UNO isn’t just keeping up with AI; it’s leading the charge.

Just like the technology itself, UNO will evolve and adapt to implement AI on campus in a way that continues to meet the needs of faculty and staff while preparing students to confidently embrace this transformative technology.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.