OpenAI Day - Spring 2025

SDSU OpenAI Day on April 10 highlighted artificial intelligence's potential in higher education. Organized by SDSU's Instructional Technology Services and OpenAI, the event attracted 265 faculty, students, researchers, and IT professionals across five interactive sessions, each reaching capacity through targeted outreach via campus channels.

Faculty showed particular enthusiasm for sessions such as the AI in the Classroom roundtable and Faculty Champions Training, where discussions focused on leveraging AI for personalized instruction, streamlined feedback, and enhanced productivity. These trainings also provided practical experience in creating customized GPTs, empowering faculty leaders to drive wider adoption across campus.

A "Brown Bag" lunch session with the Fowler College of Business facilitated valuable discussions on AI's role in academic research, highlighting both exciting opportunities and significant considerations for integration. The OpenAI team shared information about creating custom GPTs to aid in research analysis and administration, while colleagues from the IT Division and Fowler College of Business shared existing internal research resources and funding opportunities.

Student engagement peaked during the session titled "AI Isn’t the Future—You Are," which explored AI's impact on learning, career paths, and leadership development. Student attendees spanned disciplines and program across campus, including both undergraduate and graduate students, who collectively expressed a strong interest in engaging with generative AI resources, as well as a nuanced understanding of the related ethical considerations.

The Technical Deep Dive concluded the day, engaging IT professionals and technical staff in detailed exploration of GPT workflows and API integrations. Participants examined practical implementations for learning management systems and advising platforms, laying groundwork for future enhancements.
The day's events reinforced SDSU’s role as an AI-empowered institution, sparking cross-departmental collaboration and setting the stage for continued innovation and development. SDSU plans to sustain this momentum with expanded access to AI resources, ongoing experimentation.

OpenAI Day Resources
SDSU OpenAI Day on April 10 highlighted artificial intelligence's potential in higher education. The OpenAI team shared the following slides during these sessions: