Tuning In to the Future: The Deacs.ai Podcast at Wake Forest
In a landscape where the sudden and overwhelming arrival of ChatGPT created a kind of “watershed moment,” Wake Forest University, like countless other institutions, was faced with an urgent question: What now? The answer, as it turns out, is not to retreat from the new technology, but to lean into it with a particular kind of zeal and curiosity.
This is the very essence of the Deacs.ai podcast. A series of candid conversations with University innovators, the podcast documents the shift from initial apprehension to a more considered, strategic engagement. The narrative that emerges is a deliberate embrace of AI as an “augmenting partner”—a tool designed to serve the pro humanitate pursuits that define our University Community.
From Shock to Strategy
Wake Forest University is focused on a dual approach, building both a solid technological infrastructure and an ethical framework for its use.
- Administrative Use: Information Security prioritizes the use of licensed, secure tools, such as Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, to protect institutional data. This ensures that when users are signed in with their Wake Forest accounts, the information they input is not sent to vendors for training purposes, thereby safeguarding University data. For campus leaders seeking productivity gains, the tools support greater efficiency. Amy Slack, Associate Director of IT Solutions for the School of Professional Studies, utilizes AI to “work smarter not harder” by streamlining processes, automating tasks, and handling day-to-day documentation. Similarly, Mark Anderson, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Communications, leverages AI to boost team productivity in writing, using it as a writing assistant to organize ideas, adjust tone, or save significant time on tasks like rapidly analyzing large spreadsheets
- Academic Integration: Many professors are redesigning courses to require critical engagement with AI. The goal is to move beyond rote answers, compelling students to validate AI-generated output. In this model, the student remains “ultimately responsible” for the final product, turning a potential tool for misuse into a pedagogical instrument.
The Conversations: Where Philosophy Meets Practice
The Deacs.ai podcast takes a deeper look at these complex issues in a series of highly engaging and thought-provoking episodes. These conversations offer a glimpse into how Wake Forest is grappling with the ethical and practical implications of the technology.
- The Blueberry Muffin Principle: This episode with Eudora Struble, Director of Technology Accessibility, addresses a fundamental issue of systemic bias within AI systems. Strubel argues that accessibility must be “baked in” from the start—not treated as an afterthought—since AI models, trained on often-biased data, can reinforce harmful stereotypes.
- The Black Box: A philosophical and geopolitical challenge is addressed in this episode with James Prozek, Director of Public Speaking. The conversation centers on the “black box” concept—the mysterious process by which AI moves from input to output—and why our curriculum must anchor itself in human communication and ethics.
- The Purpose of Life: This episode highlights an innovative pedagogical approach, with Psychology Professor Will Fleeson describing a new assignment where seniors use AI to design a study on how to find purpose in life. It reinforces the idea that students must engage in the “cognitive struggle” of learning and cannot outsource their thinking entirely to AI.
These mindsets align with a broader call for proactive leadership in the age of AI. As Fleeson stated in his podcast episode, “we need to be intentional and conscious and aware of what’s possible and guide ourselves as a society rather than just sort of waiting to let it happen.” This is precisely what Wake Forest is doing—not merely adopting new technology, but actively guiding its use to serve human work and connection.
The Next Frontier: Leadership in Learning
The leaders interviewed on the podcast share a common vision for the University. They don’t aim to compete on pure computational power, but rather to excel in the ethical application of AI to teaching and scholarship.
A robust ecosystem of resources and community events further supports this thoughtful engagement with AI. The generative AI website, ai.wfu.edu, serves as a central hub, while workshops like “Demystifying Generative AI” and the informal, conversational AI Café continue to connect faculty and staff.
Ultimately, the goal is not merely to become fluent in a new technology, but to offload mundane tasks so that faculty and staff can dedicate more time to the highest forms of their work: deeper critical discussions and meaningful human connections with students. In this way, AI is an unexpected enabler of its very purpose.
Explore, Listen, and Connect
Ready to dive deeper? Check out our resources and get involved.
- Listen Now!: Tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube to discover how our community is making a difference across campus. We hope you have a few “driveway moments” of your own.
- Explore AI Tools: Learn how to use approved and secure AI tools to enhance your work at ai.wfu.edu.
- Share Your Feedback!: We want to hear from you. Do you have a question, a tech tip, or an idea for a future article? Let us know! Visit https://is.wfu.edu/deacs-ai/ and scroll to the bottom of the page for the submission form.
The Deacs.ai podcast is a production of Information Systems at Wake Forest University. If you have questions or comments, please email the hosts at deacs.ai@wfu.edu.