Stanford University announces $1 million in grants for AI in education

Tamar Brand-Perez, a lecturer in human biology, at the Feb. 10 Teaching with AI Community Share-out / File: Stanford Report

The program is led by AI Meets Education (AIMES) and the Stanford Learning Accelerator. The grants will fund the development of courses, academic research, and scholarly work focused on critical issues at the intersection of AI and education.

Associate Vice Provost for Education Kassandra Volpe Horii said the initiative aims to attract a wide range of perspectives, including those who may question the role of AI in education. She emphasized the importance of exploring how learning can be improved in a world where AI exists, regardless of whether it is used directly.

AIMES grew out of the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, with the goal of supporting critical engagement with generative AI in teaching. The new initiative expands this work by incorporating research expertise from across campus.

The effort is backed by university leadership, including President Jonathan Levin and Provost Jenny Martinez, and is designed to move beyond discussion into concrete action. Vice Provost Jay Hamilton noted that innovation requires time and resources, which the grants are intended to provide.

The initiative includes three main funding tracks:

• Course and Curriculum Grants: Up to $100,000 to support the development or redesign of courses that meaningfully engage with AI.
• Innovation with Evidence Grants: Up to $50,000 to develop and test new AI-related teaching approaches and assess their impact on student learning.
• Thought Leadership Grants and Awards: Up to $3,000 to support work addressing critical issues in AI and education.

Experts such as Roy Pea warn that AI risks simply automating ineffective teaching methods if not used thoughtfully. Applicants are therefore encouraged to consider how new technologies can enable entirely new forms of teaching, rather than just faster versions of existing ones.

The initiative also acknowledges potential risks, including reduced critical thinking and overreliance on shortcuts in learning. For this reason, the first Thought Leadership track focuses specifically on critical thinking. Stanford leaders believe the program will help strengthen students’ analytical skills and ensure that AI is integrated into education in a thoughtful and human-centered way.