Shyam Sharma, a professor of writing and rhetoric at Stony Brook University’s College of Arts and Sciences, has been named among the first group of SUNY’s AI for the Public Good Fellows. He is one of 20 faculty and staff recognized in this new initiative.
Over the next year, these fellows will help update SUNY’s general education information literacy requirements to address advances in technology. They will also assist faculty and staff across SUNY campuses in revising courses to include AI literacy, focusing on both effective and ethical use of artificial intelligence as well as teaching students how to critically assess content generated by AI.
Earlier this year, SUNY changed its undergraduate general education standards to require students to learn how to ethically integrate artificial intelligence within information literacy. This change, along with a new core competency in civil discourse, is scheduled for implementation throughout all SUNY institutions by Fall 2026.
“As artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are further engrained in everything we do, SUNY is making sure every student has this essential core competency within our excellent academic curriculum,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “We are all bombarded with information from all directions, with varying degrees of authenticity, and SUNY will equip every student with the skills to recognize what is true, and how to ethically use AI in their studies and in the world.”
Sharma explained his background working with artificial intelligence: “I had done a lot of things with AI, starting with exploring it and educating students how to use it and, just as importantly, how not to use it in the classroom,” he said. “I had also collaborated on a book project, published articles, written blogs and op-eds, and developed teaching materials. I had gone around the world doing workshops, keynotes, and discussions. Because of this experience, I thought I could contribute something to the SUNY system as we move deeper into the AI age. So, I applied for it and was subsequently selected.”
The fellowship lasts one year. Recipients receive a stipend along with resources that allow them to travel throughout New York State supporting faculty as they implement updated information literacy requirements.
“I would like to bring to the AI fellowship program and, through it, to SUNY campuses including Stony Brook, a little more critical understanding of AI,” Sharma said. “By that I mean we have to ask the hard questions. If we give up on asking the hard questions, it’s like a farmer giving up on planting the seeds and growing the plants that will feed the community.”
He emphasized examining what artificial intelligence can—and cannot—do for education: “AI still has massive weaknesses, as well as an impact on the environment, on society, and especially on learning,” he said. “To paraphrase a famous JFK quotation ‘ask not what AI can do for you; ask what you can do with—and especially without—AI.’ That’s the foundation of general education. My hope is that we can harness public good while mitigating adverse social impact, environmental impact,and especially impacts on civic education.”
Sharma also highlighted connections between his discipline and broader educational goals: “Writing is a vehicle,a tool ,an instrument for thinking,” he said.“If you break down a writing course into its component literacy skills,you can see which of many skills students wantto learnand become capableof using throughout their lives—not only when they are usingAI or a device that hasAIin it,but also when they are talking ,walking ,working ,or doing surgery.”
He added concerns about overreliance on technology: “My concernwithAIisthatifyoutakeawaythefrictionofthelearningexperience ,ifyoutakeawaythestudent’sopportunityforcognitive ,emotionalandintellectualdevelopment ,thenAIbecomesarealthreatinsteadofaresource .I’mhopingthattheSUNYAIfellowshipandtheeffortwe’remakingwillhelpustonotgotoofar,toofastinthewrongdirectionswithAI.”
Peter Khost,chairofStonyBrook’sDepartmentofWritingandRhetoric,praisedSharma’sselection:“ThroughhisappointmentasanInauguralAiforthePublicGoodFellow ,world-renownedscholarandaward-winningprofessorShyamSharmahasdistinguishedhimselfasatrueleaderintakingononeofthemostimportantissuesofourtime .Inthisrole ,ProfessorSharmawilladdresstheimpactsofartificialintelligenceonundergraduateeducation ,helpingpreparestudentsacrossSUNYinstitutionstoengagewithemergingtechnologiesethicallyandcritically .ThishonorreflectsSharma’sinnovationsineducationaltechnologyintheDepartmentofWritingandRhetoricandStonyBrookUniversityandscalesthebenefitsofhisexpertiseforsystem-wideapplication.Hedeservesourcongratulationsandgratitude.”
SUNY continues efforts relatedtoartificialintelligenceresearch.InitiativeslikeEmpireAI—a consortium created by Governor Kathy Hochul—aimtokeepNewYorkStatealeaderininvestigatingthepublicgoodaspectsofartificialintelligence.DepartmentsfocusingontherelationshipbetweenAISocietyhavebeenestablishedateightSUNYcampuses,supportingmultidisciplinaryresearchandeducationtopreparestudentsfortechnologicalchange.
“IfwecreateanenvironmentwherestudentscanuseAinameaningfulproductivewayandnotabuseormisuseit,Ithinkthat’stherightthingtodo,”saidSharma.“I’mhopingthatwefacultycangroundourselvesinthefundamentalsandfoundationsofgeneraleducation,andtothefoundationofdisciplinaryidentitydevelopment,anduseAIineffectiveproductiveways.Idon’tthinkAIisgoodorbad.It’showwecanleverageAItoreinforcelearningwhilehelpingstudentsrecognizeandavoidtheharmstolearningwhenusingit.”
– Robert Emproto
