AI Literacy Is Higher Ed’s New Core Skill

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the workforce, but most colleges and universities are still figuring out what it means for teaching, learning, and leadership.In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz is joined by Dale Pike, Associate Provost for Technology-enhanced Learning at Virginia Tech, to unpack what AI literacy really requires in higher education, and why faculty readiness may be the biggest barrier to progress. Drawing from years of work in instructional design, emerging technologies, and generative AI research, Dale shares a clear-eyed view of what it will take for institutions to move beyond novelty and toward real integration.From the ethical foundations of AI use to the gaps between STEM and non-STEM learners, this conversation explores how higher ed can embed AI fluency without starting from scratch, and why the real work ahead isn’t technical, but cultural.In this episode:What AI literacy should look like across disciplinesWhy faculty development is essential for institutional readinessHow higher ed can evolve without abandoning its human-centered mission