Building the AI-Ready Workforce
As Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, UW-Stout sets the standard for applied AI. We integrate AI across programs, put it to work in labs and studios, and deliver solutions with industry partners. Through hands-on learning, advanced research, and workforce-aligned collaboration, our students and faculty help shape how AI innovates in the real world.
AI at UW-Stout: Our Leadership & Impact
- Wisconsin's Polytechnic Standard for AI: Applied learning at scale, research with real deliverables, and workforce development that sets graduate expectations.
- AI in Teaching & Research: Faculty-led innovation, AI Fellows, and AI-integrated curricula that build discipline-specific capability across programs.
- Industry Collaboration & Deployment: Partner-driven projects that move beyond pilots into implementation, delivering usable AI solutions and talent pipelines.
- AI for the Public Good: Campus and community initiatives that expand AI literacy, strengthen responsible adoption, and build practical capacity statewide.
Our AI Fellows are breaking new ground in research and industry applications, while our AI Integration Technologist works across campus to ensure AI is embedded into learning, operations, and innovation. The AI Innovation Committee sets the direction for AI integration, governance, ethics, and literacy, positioning UW-Stout as a thought leader in AI policy and responsible AI adoption.
AI Across the Curriculum: Our 360-Degree Approach
AI at UW-Stout is built as an institution-wide capability, powered by campus support and a shared mission to innovate, integrate, and lead. We embed AI across programs so every student develops AI literacy and fluency in the context of their discipline, using applied learning that mirrors how work gets done now.
Our polytechnic heritage gives us an edge. We don’t just theorize about technology, we apply it. In the same way that Stout pioneered experiential education a century ago, we’re now building a model for AI that others in higher education are beginning to follow.
The framework rests on four interconnected pillars:
· Education & Academic Excellence: AI-enabled teaching and learning that prepare graduates for emerging industries.
· Operations: Smart, ethical automation that enhances campus efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability.
· Industry Engagement: Partnerships that translate classroom knowledge into economic growth and innovation.
· Governance: Transparent leadership ensuring that AI advances equity, privacy, and accountability.
For students seeking deeper specialization, UW-Stout offers clear pathways. In the B.S. in Automation Leadership, students gain real-world AI expertise that translates directly to careers in high-demand industries. In the Artificial Intelligence Concentration within Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, students build the technical foundation to integrate AI technologies and drive innovation across sectors where AI capability is increasingly expected.
B.S. Applied Mathematics & Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence Concentration)
Continue Reading2025 AI Industry Survey
Catalyst at UW-Stout, in collaboration with the AI Integration Technologist, revised and administered a follow-up employer survey in Spring 2025 to expand on data first collected in Spring 2024. The survey was distributed to Program Advisory Committee (PAC) employer contacts to assess how organizations are using artificial intelligence (AI), how they plan to integrate AI in the future, and to identify future implications. The 2025 survey introduced refined AI definitions, new response categories, and deeper inquiry into use cases, perceived impact, and critical skills.
AI Innovation & Industry Partnerships
Our leadership in AI goes far beyond the classroom. The Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC) and Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Artificial Intelligence (CAM-AI) drive AI integration, partnering with industry to advance innovation and enhance competitive advantage.
Building an AI Community
We’re also building an AI-powered community. From the AI Club supporting student-led exploration to our Weekly AI Meetups that connect students, faculty, alumni, and industry leaders, UW-Stout is creating a hub for AI collaboration, literacy, and industry support.
Whether through research, workforce development, or real-world problem-solving, UW-Stout is leading the way in AI innovation.
