Exeter becomes first university to join global Responsible AI Consortium

The University of Exeter has become the first institution to join a new global Responsible AI Consortium.

Dedicated to exploring the responsible use of artificial intelligence in higher education, the initiative will act as a think tank for universities trialling AI in teaching and research.

It was set up by the global rankings organisation QS in partnership with EDHEC Business School in France, Imperial College Business School in London, and Luiss Business School in Rome.

According to the Mid-Devon Adviser, the Consortium will advance the responsible use of AI and prepare graduates for the workforce through collaborative research, project-based learning, and innovative AI pilot programs.

Professor Tim Quine, Vice-President of Education at Exeter, said the university is committed to making sure AI “serves people, planet, and society,” stressing responsibility, inclusivity and sustainability.

Exeter says joining the consortium fits with Strategy 2030, the university’s big plan to make its research and teaching tackle real-world problems.

Part of that includes Enabling AI at Exeter – a new initiative launching soon that will reportedly give staff and students access to “a suite of information and resources, including its Enabling AI Strategy, Policy, Information Classification Scheme, and AI Catalogue.”

In the future, AI could take over admin like timetabling or marking short quizzes, while lecturers focus more on teaching and mentoring.

Some in higher education are still worried AI could eventually replace jobs, but the AI consortium aims  to support academics, rather than swap them out for machines.

The university is also a part of the Future17 programme, where Exeter students team up with peers around the world on projects linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

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Alongside this, Exeter is included in the QS ImpACT Skills Challenge, a competition where students design video games and AI solutions tackling global issues.