Five days of campus-wide programming that brought students, faculty, and staff together to examine, critique, and share their experience with artificial intelligence— from rigorous ethical inquiry to practical skills.
Widener AI Week 2026 established a new model for campus-wide AI engagement that balanced practical sharing with rigorous ethical and pedagogical inquiry. Across five events over four days, the Widener community demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of AI, neither dismissing its utility nor ignoring its costs. A consistent theme across all programming was the need and desire for critical AI literacy, i.e., the capacity to evaluate, question, and apply AI tools with both competence and conscience. The week was distinguished above all by the analytical depth and candor of student voices, which repeatedly exceeded expectations.
We launched the week with a campus-wide dialogue on Widener's proposed Critical AI Literacy Framework. Participants consistently called for AI literacy to be scaffolded across the curriculum rather than confined to a single course, but a foundation needs to be built as soon as students arrive on campus.
Approximately 30 students and more than a dozen faculty, staff, trustees gathered in five small-group discussions. Student voices were analytically sophisticated, ethical in their concerns, and pragmatic in their recommendations to faculty. AI literacy is valued, but students are also concerned about AI undermining learning and the ethical challenges it poses.
Six speakers — students, faculty, and a librarian — delivered the week's signature event to more than 120 attendees. The balance of critical and practical perspectives generated overwhelmingly positive feedback. Multiple attendees called it one of the best events they'd attended at Widener.
PHIL-388 honors ethics students presented 10 original research posters applying stakholder and pipeline analyses to real AI cases ranging from hiring bias and copyright law to deepfakes, environmental justice, and algorithmic manipulation.
We wrapped up AI Week with a practical peer-learning showcase where faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, and students shared real AI workflows, productivity hacks, and lessons learned. The format attracted a broad cross-section of the campus community and generated lively discussion.
"WOW! An incredible event! I learned a lot about AI and appreciate the varying perspectives. I was impressed with the students' reflections… This was one of the best events I've attended at Widener!"
"Every speaker was excellent. We need to learn to live with the tensions that AI brings us, even as we work through both the opportunities and the challenges."
"AI literacy isn't some niche skill anymore… Students graduating today are expected to understand and work alongside AI the same way they're expected to communicate clearly."
"It was a really nice balance of critical and enthusiastic about AI. The student perspective was really interesting to hear—we don't get that enough in spaces like this."
Presented by the LEAD-AI Council · Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the BRIDGE-AI Network, with co-programming support from the Student Government Association, the AI Club, Robotics Club, CS Club, and PHIL-388(H) students. · Meet the LEAD-AI Council →