The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisory Committee will serve as a strategic body to guide the university’s endeavours related to AI, with a focus on generative AI, ensuring a holistic approach that encompasses academic, research, and operational perspectives.
The AI Advisory Committee will report to three co-sponsors, the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the Vice-President (Research), the Vice-President (Finance and Operations), with membership including: (3) co-chairs (appointed by sponsors) and (3) chairs of the Expert Panels.
Expressions of Interest to Join an Expert Panel are now closed. Please reach out to macgenai@mcmaster.ca for later considerations
AI Advisory Committee Members
Co-Chairs:
- Dr. Matheus Grasselli, Deputy Provost
- Gayleen Gray, Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
- Dr. Gianni Parise, Associate Vice President, Research
Expert Panel Chairs:
- Dr. Kimberley Dej, Vice Provost, Teaching and Learning
- Dr. Martin Horn, Associate Dean (Research), Humanities
- Maggie Pooran, Executive Director, Health, Safety, Well-Being & Labour Relations
Expert Panels and Priorities
In support of the AI Advisory Committee, the AI Expert Panels offer specialized expertise in the domains of teaching and learning, research, and operational excellence.
Guided by the Expert Panel chair, members of the Expert Panel will work on specific initiatives, make recommendations, offer feedback and input, and identify additional areas of work that may benefit the institution.
Each Expert Panel will have a pool of contributors made up of administrators, faculty, staff and student members. Depending on the initiative the Expert Panel is working on, some or all members of the Expert Panel may be involved in completing the specific work. As a result, Expert Panel members will be able to determine what initiatives to contribute to based on their expertise, interest and availability.
Expressions of Interest to Join an Expert Panel are now closed. Please reach out to macgenai@mcmaster.ca for later considerations
Mandate
To provide consultative guidance, endorse guidelines and recommendations, and ensure ethical considerations in staff operations involving AI at McMaster University, as well as impact and integration of AI with operational and enterprise tools and processes.
Priorities
- Develop provisional guidelines on the use of generative AI in staff operations at McMaster (COMPLETE, MARCH 2024)
- Develop provisional guidelines on acquisition and integration of AI technologies (COMPLETE, MARCH 2024)
- Develop/refine guidance on privacy and data security protocols for AI technologies
- When requested, consult with units and departments on the ethical implications and potential of generative AI projects.
- Develop and recommend resources and professional development that support responsible use of generative AI in staff operations
- Engage in dialogue with staff from all units on perspectives on use of generative AI
- Endorse ethical standards and guidelines for AI usage in staff operations
- Engage in cross-institutional dialogues to share insights and learn from global best practices.
Mandate
To provide consultative guidance, endorse guidelines and recommendations, and ensure ethical considerations in research involving generative AI at McMaster University.
Priorities
- Identify existing and emerging questions related to the use of AI in research activities at McMater
- Engage in dialogue with both graduate student and faculty researchers to understand their perspectives on AI in research
- Review policies, guidelines and recommendations from government agencies and peer institutions
- In line with government agency guidance, develop institutional guidelines for the use of AI in research activities
- When requested, consult with research departments on the ethical implications and potential of AI projects
- Develop and recommend resources and professional development that support responsible use of generative AI in research
- Endorse ethical standards and guidelines for AI usage in research environments
- Engage in cross-institutional dialogues to share insights and learn from global best practices.
Mandate
To offer consultative insights, endorse guidelines and resources, partner on initiatives, and engage in dialogues related to the ethical and impactful application of AI in the realm of teaching and learning at McMaster University.
Priorities
- Provide recommendations to the AI Advisory Committee on updates to the Provisional Guidelines on the Use of Generative AI in Teaching and Learning
- Review and recommend training, resources and professional development on AI literacy for both educators and students (e.g. grants, microcredentials, guidebooks)
- Engage in dialogue with both students and educators to understand their perspectives on AI in learning
- Endorse ethical standards and guidelines for AI usage in teaching environments
- Review and provide insights into assessments or tools that leverage AI for student evaluation.
- Engage in cross-institutional dialogues to share insights and learn from global best practices.
- Advocate for student involvement in the design and critique of AI-enabled teaching tools.