Florida State University Expands AI Ecosystem

Florida State University is building its artificial intelligence ecosystem through a strategy centered on partnerships and faculty-led adoption. The university’s Information Technology Services department has moved beyond relying on a single vendor. Instead, the school works with multiple companies to ensure their AI solutions align with academic and administrative needs. This approach allows the university to select tools that fit specific use cases rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all solution.

FSU relies on structured pilot programs to identify which tools work best for the campus community. In a 2025 trial, graduate students in the computer science program tested Microsoft 365 Copilot to understand complex data sets. More recently, 30 instructors from various departments participated in a pilot called AI Sparks. They used Google Gemini and NotebookLM for tasks such as literary analyses and creating mock interviews for business students.

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Faculty members lead the charge in deciding which vendors make the cut. Robert Fuselier, the chief academic technology officer, explains that the IT department assesses these tools behind the scenes. The main goal is to help faculty find ways to implement AI into their courses. However, the university does not introduce new solutions to the campus community until data protection agreements are in place.

Rebekah Dorn, the chief experience and support officer, emphasizes that data security is the first priority. The university must be confident that it has a secure environment and that the vendor will not use their data to train other large language models before allowing faculty and staff to use the tools.

FSU has expanded its portfolio of licensed AI tools for student use to include Gemini, NotebookLM, Copilot, Zoom AI Companion, and an AI-powered coaching service from LinkedIn Learning. Faculty and staff have access to these solutions, as well as Adobe Creative Cloud and CrowdStrike’s AI-enabled Falcon Complete Next-Gen managed detection and response cybersecurity service.

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The university recently launched a campuswide portal called ArtesAI. Built on Microsoft Azure, the cloud-based platform contains more than 100 large language models for academic and research purposes. It serves as a central hub where users can securely access and build custom AI tools while maintaining strict data privacy. Dorn notes that this centralization helps streamline the user experience across different departments.

FSU supports this ecosystem with governance structures. The Artificial Intelligence in Education Advisory Committee meets regularly to discuss the technology’s impact on teaching and learning. Meanwhile, the Artificial Intelligence Policy Workgroup focuses on developing policies and guidance for responsible use. Fuselier believes that giving students hands-on experience with these tools is essential for their future competitiveness. “We know that they’re going to need these skills to be competitive in the workplace,” he says. By providing varied access to multiple platforms, FSU aims to ensure students graduate with the necessary AI fluency for the modern workforce.