Artificial intelligence is transforming higher education — and UCLA is at the forefront. In fall 2024, UCLA became the first university in California to adopt ChatGPT Enterprise, a powerful AI platform tailored for large organizations. Students, faculty and staff were then invited to submit project ideas exploring how AI could enhance education, streamline operations and improve campus life. Roughly 70 proposals were approved.
One standout project is led by Dr. W. Scott Comulada, who is exploring AI-simulated patients to help train future doctors in delivering difficult news. “People are increasingly interested in the possibility of creating AI-simulated patients… and how the technology can be used to drive conversations as a way to practice,” Comulada said. While real-life practice remains ideal, he noted, “It’s very scalable and students can practice it on their own time, 24/7.”
In UCLA Extension, Nicole Lim used AI to analyze enrollment trends and student feedback to refine course offerings and improve outcomes. “One of the main things we accomplished was an increase in enrollments through improved communication with our students,” Lim said. “We achieved a 90% retention rate for graduation this spring.”
Student innovation is also thriving. Wanxin Xiao, a sophomore in the Samueli School of Engineering, and her team are launching UCLA Xplore, an AI-powered app that recommends campus events based on students’ interests and schedules. “This personalized approach simplifies the overwhelming task of manually navigating long club lists or extensive event calendars,” Xiao said. She also gained hands-on experience with advanced AI tools, including OpenAI’s embedding models and the Milvus vector database.
These grassroots efforts are shaping UCLA’s broader AI strategy. Chris Mattmann, UCLA’s chief data and AI officer in Digital and Technology Solutions, is building a campus-wide AI community of practice, piloting new tools and aligning UCLA’s strategy with the White House’s National AI Action Plan. He’s also developing a four-part AI training module for faculty and staff. The first module, AI Foundations, is already available.
“This pilot taught us a lot about deploying AI at the enterprise level,” Mattmann said. “It’s not just about the tools — it’s about empowering people to use them responsibly and creatively. That’s how we build a future-ready university.”
