Skip to main content

November 6, 2025

Higher Education/System

Have a hot take? Test out UW-Madison’s new AI civil discourse chatbot

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is testing out a new artificial intelligence chatbot that helps students practice civil discourse through simulated conversations and real-time feedback.

The pilot program, part of the university’s new Wisconsin Exchange: Pluralism in Practice initiative, launches this month in collaboration with the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. The AI-powered, voice-based tool allows students to choose topics they care about and engage in short conversations with AI partners that take opposing viewpoints.

UW’s RISE-AI collaboration introduces AI to campus-wide research

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Data Science Institution will invest in artificial intelligence through their Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) program to improve studies around the new technology

This new initiative, called “RISE-AI,” already hired 35 employees and current staff, students and faculty. They aim to “become the guides for society” in navigating the rapidly-changing world of AI, conducting research about AI’s uses to explore issues relating to medicine, agriculture and communications.

Major in AI? UW System launches new programs

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, University of Wisconsin System universities are launching new majors and certificates to prepare students for an increasingly AI-driven workforce.

The programs aim to teach students how to use the technology ethically, practically and responsibly as the technology becomes more integrated into everyday life.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire started offering majors, certificates and minors in Artificial Intelligence this fall, while the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has offered an AI-related certificate since as early as spring of 2022. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, engineering students have been able to add a capstone certificate in AI since April.

Campus life

Blue books are back: The revival of pen and paper exams

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

Fresh off the heels of summer break, some students were startled by three words they thought had been lost to time: “blue book exam.”

Indeed, for many students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison this year, gone are the days of the take-home paper or at-home Canvas final. Faced with rising instances of students using generative artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini, to cheat, professors have instead returned to the ol’ reliable: a handwritten, in-class exam.

Athletics