Building AI Fluency at Wake Forest

Theme: AI Integration

Summary of Initiative

Wake Forest University School of Business’s Building AI Fluency initiative transformed faculty uncertainty into confident, responsible generative AI integration through a grassroots, ongoing, multiphase approach. From early presentations to structured workshops and community engagement, the program accelerated AI adoption with 68 percent of faculty now using GenAI weekly or daily.

Call to Action for Initiative

The release of ChatGPT in late November 2022 created an immediate sense of urgency in the business education community. As a general purpose technology with the potential to fundamentally reshape how we teach and learn, generative AI demanded attention. Two critical questions emerged: How would this technology impact higher education? And more importantly, how could it make Wake Forest University School of Business better?

By March 2023, faculty uncertainty had reached a critical point. An early presentation titled “ChatGPT: What We Know So Far” drew 30 to 40 attendees and generated far more questions than answers. Faculty expressed genuine concern about academic integrity, the teaching implications, and their own preparedness to guide students in this rapidly changing landscape. Throughout spring 2023, these concerns intensified. Student use of AI tools was rising rapidly, raising questions about cheating and the impact of GenAI on learning.

However, rather than responding solely with restrictive policies, the faculty recognized a more fundamental challenge: How could we help students use AI to stretch their capabilities, not just shrink their effort? This question became the foundation for Building AI Fluency.

The initiative was born from three key insights: First, faculty needed to lead from knowledge, not fear. Without understanding AI’s capabilities and limitations, faculty could neither design effective policies nor model responsible use for students.

Second, top-down mandates would not work. The complexity and rapid evolution of GenAI technology required a grassroots, collaborative approach where faculty and staff could learn together, experiment safely, and share discoveries.

Third, the opportunity extended beyond the classroom. Wake Forest’s business school had a responsibility not only to its students but also to the broader business community (alumni, executives, and regional leaders) grappling with the same questions about AI integration.

By summer 2023, a small group of early adopters recognized that the traditional approach of waiting for clarity before acting was inadequate for this moment. The technology was evolving too quickly, and students were already using it. The business school needed to move with intentionality but also with urgency.

What emerged was a grassroots, faculty-led initiative designed to build collective fluency through experimentation, dialogue, and shared learning. Rather than positioning the school as having all the answers, the initiative embraced the uncertainty and created structured opportunities for faculty to develop expertise together. Working together ensured that as faculty gained confidence with GenAI, they would model ethical, thoughtful use for their students and the broader community.

This approach acknowledged a fundamental truth: We were all learners in this new landscape, and our best path forward was to learn together.

Description of Initiative

Building AI Fluency followed a deliberate, multiphase approach that mirrored the classic diffusion of innovation curve, moving from early adopters to mainstream acceptance at an accelerated pace. The faculty-led initiative was designed to meet people where they were while creating pathways for progressive engagement.

Phase 1: Exploration and Community Building (June 2023–April 2024)

The initiative began organically with a generative AI interest group that met 15 times over 10 months. These informal gatherings drew 10 to 15 participants per session and created a safe space for faculty to share ideas, raise questions, and learn from peer experiments. In July 2023, the [email protected] Google group was launched, providing an ongoing channel for sharing resources, asking questions, and building collective knowledge.

This phase was crucial for identifying early adopters, understanding faculty concerns, and developing insights that would inform more structured programming. The grassroots nature ensured that subsequent initiatives would reflect actual faculty needs rather than administrative assumptions.

Phase 2: Structured Learning (Fall 2024–Spring 2025)

Based on insights from phase 1, the school launched the Building AI Fluency Series in fall 2024. This structured program featured eight sessions with an average attendance of 25 faculty and staff members. The curriculum covered foundational GenAI concepts, practical applications in teaching, ethical considerations, and hands-on experimentation with tools.

Recognizing that faculty had different starting points and learning needs, spring 2025 brought Building AI Fluency 2.0 with parallel tracks. The first was a condensed four-session version of the fall series for newcomers. The second was an advanced four-session track for faculty ready for more sophisticated applications. The differentiated approach acknowledged varying levels of comfort and expertise while maintaining momentum for all participants.

Phase 3: Application and Dissemination (Summer 2025–Present)

By August 2025, the initiative had matured to the point where faculty could share their own classroom innovations. A faculty workshop created a forum for peer-to-peer learning, with instructors presenting concrete examples of how they had integrated GenAI into their courses. This shift from learning about AI to learning from each other marked a transition point.

What Makes This Initiative Innovative

• Grassroots Leadership: Rather than a top-down mandate, faculty drove the initiative, ensuring authenticity and buy-in.
• Progressive Engagement: The multiphase design allowed faculty to enter at their comfort level and progress at their own pace, reducing resistance and building confidence incrementally.
• Practical Application: Throughout all phases, the initiative maintained focus on use cases and applications for integrating GenAI into the classroom and workflows rather than adopting technology for technology’s sake.
• Broader Impact: The initiative expanded beyond the business school through the development of faculty guidelines universitywide, participation in deacs.ai (the university’s podcast devoted to AI), peer-to-peer workshops for other schools, student presentations, alumni and executive education sessions, and community presentations for organizations like Leadership Winston-Salem, Rotary, and Allegacy Federal Credit Union.

This comprehensive approach transformed individual curiosity into institutional capacity for responsible AI integration.

Impact of Initiative

The Building AI Fluency initiative has produced measurable, meaningful impact across multiple dimensions: transforming individual faculty practice, enhancing student learning, and positioning Wake Forest’s business school as a leader in responsible AI integration.

Faculty Adoption and Confidence

The most striking evidence of impact comes from recent survey data: 68 percent of business school faculty now use generative AI weekly or daily, compared to just 28 percent elsewhere on campus and approximately 30 percent nationally among higher education faculty. This more than doubling of the national average demonstrates that structured, supportive programming can dramatically accelerate technology adoption.

Beyond usage statistics, faculty have moved from uncertainty to confident integration. The progression from the anxious questions at the March 2023 presentation to the August 2025 faculty workshop, where instructors eagerly shared their own AI classroom innovations, illustrates a fundamental shift in mindset. Faculty are no longer asking, “Should we use AI?” but rather, “How can we use AI most effectively?”

Classroom Innovation and Student Learning

Faculty participation has translated into concrete classroom applications that enhance student learning. Instructors across the business school have integrated AI in diverse ways:

• Custom GPTs for realistic business simulations
• AI-enhanced feedback mechanisms
• AI as a subject of study
• Pedagogical tools such as generating practice problems or providing additional tutoring support

These applications share a common thread: They use AI to stretch student capabilities and deepen learning rather than simply reducing effort. Students are developing critical AI literacy, learning not just to use these tools but to use them thoughtfully, ethically, and strategically.

Institutional and Community Benefits

The initiative has elevated Wake Forest School of Business’s reputation as an innovator in business education. The school has become a resource for the broader university community, contributing to universitywide faculty guidelines and participating in deacs.ai, the institution’s AI-focused podcast.

Beyond campus, the business school has extended its expertise to alumni, executive education participants, and regional business leaders through presentations. This community engagement positions the school as a thought leader while fulfilling its broader educational mission.

Scalability and Sustainability

Perhaps most significantly, the initiative has created sustainable infrastructure for ongoing AI integration. The established Google group, recurring workshop series, and growing community of practice ensure that as AI technology evolves, the business school has mechanisms in place to adapt, learn, and lead.

We believe that pairing AI fluency with critical thinking and the judgment to engage deeply when it matters will give our students a competitive advantage. The initiative proves that thoughtful, faculty-centered programming can transform institutional capacity while maintaining focus on pedagogical excellence and responsible innovation.

Additional Information

• “AI in Business Education: Building Fluency,” Wake Forest Business
• “Setting Their Own Rules: Students and Teachers React to Wake Forest University's Experimental AI Policy,” WXII 12
• “Center for Analytics Impact Hosts AI Roundtable and Executive Forum,” Wake Forest Business
• “Emerging Technology AI Snapshot Fall 2025,” video