Industry Looks to University of Tennessee for AI Innovation, Workforce Development

In addition to developing innovative educational approaches to artificial intelligence, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is leading the development of AI in Tennessee by building the state's AI workforce. Just as AI continues to evolve, industry leaders are moving to keep pace with changing needs and challenges related to emerging technologies. These topics were the center of conversation at the inaugural AI Tennessee Summit, which brought together leaders from government, industry, and academia to discuss the state's needs, its capacity for growth, and the role of higher education.

UT and partners including the State of Tennessee AI Advisory Council, SCORE, Vanderbilt University, the University of Memphis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Tennessee Board of Regents hosted the summit to maximize collaboration and innovation. Participants gathered in Nashville on March 25 and 26 for presentations and panel discussions addressing some of AI's toughest challenges and identifying opportunities to position the state of Tennessee at the forefront of the nation's AI race.

The summit was a product of UT's AI Tennessee initiative—the first effort of its kind in the nation to coordinate AI research, education and workforce development across disciplines and institutions statewide. Now nearly 400 members strong, the initiative brings together academic researchers, industry leaders, start-ups, and public-sector partners to ensure that AI's benefits reach communities across Tennessee. As the founding member, UT is carrying out its land-grant mission to support state needs and using its expertise to drive innovation.

"Our leadership in AI doesn't stop with research and development," said UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman. "Employers in Tennessee are looking to us to produce graduates with the knowledge and skills to embrace emerging AI technologies. That's why we've prioritized working alongside industry to build academic programs to support the careers students want and employers need."

What industry needs from Tennessee

During the summit, industry leaders in health care and accounting shared their perspectives on the biggest industry needs as well as how they think UT can enhance workforce development and economic growth. A featured panel including professionals from Volkswagen of America Inc., EY, Ballad Health, and Hitachi Federal gave valuable insight to current trends in their respective fields.

"AI is becoming an essential tool in our toolbox for starting ideation. We're seeing a trend right now where every single conversation or every single meeting has an AI preparation aspect—that brainstorming becomes machine plus human-centric," said Majed Saadi, chief technology officer at Hitachi Federal, a data infrastructure management service provider.

Saadi explained how AI is particularly helpful for organizations that need to analyze and process massive amounts of data, such as those in industrial, logistics, and government settings.

With AI's increased implementation across all types of business sectors, Saadi forecast that producing enough sustainable energy to power data centers and super computers will be one of the biggest hurdles for AI advancement. He stressed that while AI offers useful tools, it won't replace human application.

"Critical thinking and presentation skills are not going to be replaced. In fact, we are going to need these skills even more to make sense of the data and what's happening in the background," said Saadi.

Fellow panelist Quincy Byrdsong, vice president for research operations at Ballad Health, noted how AI in the health sector is being used to predict and improve patient care.

"We're using AI to help with precision diagnoses, operational efficiencies, and triage," he said. "AI is not replacing jobs, it's focusing them—giving our personnel more capacity to do the relational work of health care."

Many industry leaders highlighted the necessary human component of AI and the boundaries of new technology. While employers want AI-savvy graduates, it's not enough to have a basic understanding of AI tools. "Eventually everybody is going to come with a pretty good understanding of AI and how to use it," said Byrdsong. "What not all graduates are coming with is the judgment needed to use these tools appropriately and ethically."

Several panelists echoed the need for a new type of AI competency. "What companies need are AI integrators—employees capable of portfolio thinking and defining the new role of AI in their industry," said Ken Dircks, AI solutions lead for state and local government at EY, a global leader in professional services.

"This next generation should enter the workforce not only ready to use AI but with ideas on how to maximize it, because every field is changing," he explained.

How UT is educating the workforce

To address industry needs and train the state's workforce, UT established the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies to deliver high-quality, high-impact educational opportunities in emerging technologies. CECS is designed to move quickly, bringing together expertise from across the university and working closely with industry partners to identify and respond to evolving workforce needs.

Through this model, CECS launched the state's first applied AI degree program along with specialty programs and stackable certificates in areas such as AI, data science, and applied cybersecurity. These programs serve a wide range of learners, from traditional students to working professionals seeking to reskill and advance their careers.

To expand access even further, CECS offers educational opportunities to frontline professionals and employers through the CECS Online Academy, which provides free public-facing courses to increase AI literacy across communities. The initiative also offers bootcamps to support K–12 educators teaching AI and provides customized industry training designed to help organizations and their leaders navigate AI-driven transformation. Together, these efforts support the full talent pipeline.

"We launched CECS with industry in mind. We invited 50 industry leaders to serve on our advisory board and now have more than 350 partners engaged across our programs helping to shape curriculum while also providing experiential learning and mentorship opportunities for students," said Ozlem Killic, vice provost and founding dean of CECS. "As we've grown, those partnerships have become a true two-way conversation—we look to industry to help us design meaningful educational experiences, and industry looks to us for the talent and training needed to stay competitive."

Outside of CECS, UT is embedding AI across the broader student experience. Every first-year student is introduced to AI through a seminar focused on responsible use and foundational skills, including prompt development. Students from any major can incorporate CECS's AI 101 course into their general education requirements.

Supporting industry beyond the classroom

Beyond building the workforce pipeline, UT is powering industry–university partnerships through the AI TechX consortium. Another effort of AI Tennessee, the initiative connects faculty researchers with industry partners to uncover AI-enabled solutions to real-world challenges. By connecting academic expertise, industry insights, and seed funding, AI TechX ensures that innovation is not only possible but also scalable, transferable, and accessible across sectors.

"We've been a founding member with the consortium, and it's been exciting to see how much it's grown," said Ines Voellinger, who serves as digital transformation and AI innovation strategist for Volkswagen of America Inc. "We're able to define the problem we're trying to solve alongside researchers and come up with solutions that we can move straight into production. Having an ecosystem like this creates cross-industry opportunities with AI that we can all benefit from."

Partners involved with AI TechX span companies and start-ups in agriculture, business, national security, transportation, advanced materials, and other fields. These industry relationships translate AI research into economic growth. Recent AI TechX projects apply AI to manufacturing simulation, livestock disease detection, pedestrian safety, athlete injury prevention, and geospatial intelligence, among other fields. For some of the entrepreneurs and start-ups, the consortium encourages companies to stay in the state as they grow, creating more jobs and further supporting Tennessee's economy.

"Tennessee is one of two states that has the highest number of bordering states in the US. That puts us at the center of all sorts of trade and commerce," Byrdsong said. "UT has positioned itself to represent multiple industries responsible for innovation that are important to our economy—UT is the connecting point we really need."

By employing expert researchers and investing in high-quality education, UT is focusing on responsible AI innovation for practical advancements that matter to the state. While AI continues to evolve, new programs and partnerships will continue to support Tennessee's needs and prepare communities for the next era of artificial intelligence.

Provided by University of Tennessee at Knoxville