AI has quickly evolved from novelty to necessity at Lehigh. Students increasingly turn to generative AI (GenAI) tools like Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT to review concepts and create on-demand tutors and study-aids. Some use it to think through a paper’s organization or as a seasoned editor; others tap into a platform’s quick responses to bounce ideas off of. Lehigh graduate and faculty researchers use AI models to crunch data sets, recognize patterns, and turn ideas into actual code. They also experiment in teaching with, rather than against, AI.
Despite the pervasiveness of these technologies in classrooms, labs, libraries, and offices, AI’s potential comes at a cost and requires training. Hard problems often are better solved using the most up-to-date and robust models and deep learning tools. While anyone can use these tools to do certain tasks, using them to solve more complex problems accurately requires explicit training and experience.
“The Lee Family Foundation’s gift comes at a crucial moment for Lehigh and for higher education. [...]The Lee family’s generosity and the access it provides graduate students and faculty will propel Lehigh’s AI Readiness initiative forward.”
Lehigh, working with Hyo Sang Lee MS’76 Ph.D.’80, is trying to look forward to ensure that the university and its students are prepared for the future. Inspired by Lehigh’s commitment to prepare graduates that are “AI-ready,” the H.S. Lee Family Foundation made a gift to provide faculty and graduate students access to more sophisticated GenAI tools. The goal is to help Lehigh become a recognized leader in AI by supporting the education of students to use these tools effectively and ethically, while creating opportunities for students to engage in AI-based projects with companies and organizations throughout the Lehigh Valley. The gift also establishes a prize that allows graduate students to propose commercial AI products and potentially win additional funding.
“The Lee Family Foundation’s gift comes at a crucial moment for Lehigh and for higher education,” says Nathan Urban, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “We care deeply about the education of tomorrow’s leaders and about student outcomes. Students graduating today need to be effective and ethical users of GenAI tools to achieve their personal and professional goals. The Lee family’s generosity and the access it provides graduate students and faculty will propel Lehigh’s AI Readiness initiative forward.”
Research Without Limits
By providing enhanced access to the latest GenAI models, from companies like Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI, the Lees are encouraging Lehigh faculty and graduate students to enhance their research and educational methods. “This is semester zero,” says Dominic Packer, vice provost for educational innovation and assessment. “Faculty and students are already experimenting with AI in creative and productive ways, and we want to meet that momentum. "We’re mapping where AI is being used and where it’s genuinely improving learning. The Lees’ gift positions us to identify the most transformative tools and put them to work in teaching and learning across the university.”
"We’re mapping where AI is being used and where it’s genuinely improving learning. The Lees’ gift positions us to identify the most transformative tools and put them to work in teaching and learning across the university.”
Practically, this level of access means more faculty can focus their attention on working with these applications — not against paywalls and limits. It allows for more sustained assessment of these tools’ power and uses at Lehigh and across the Lehigh Valley with partner organizations. And it helps cultivate “AI-ready” undergraduate and graduate students.
“We know that the rapid development and deployment of AI affects the expectations of companies hiring college graduates. They want graduates who are well-versed in the technology’s potential, limits, and ethical uses. It is no longer a nice-to-have but rather an expectation. Broad access will help us ensure that Lehigh students learn how to use AI tools effectively and ethically by the time they graduate,” says Urban.
Generating Impact
AI readiness extends beyond campus. Regional and industry partners seek to tap into Lehigh’s expertise to help understand how they can leverage AI’s power in their operations. The Lees’ gift will empower faculty and graduate students to work more closely with these organizations to accelerate their adoption of AI tools.
Lehigh faculty are already applying AI to solve challenges in accessibility, electrification, and catastrophe modeling. The Lees’ gift will enable these faculty and their students to explore how advanced AI tools can amplify the impact of their research. Grounded in the university’s commitment to hands-on learning, the partnerships that Lehigh’s research centers form will give students the chance to see how AI is being applied to real-life challenges — and the inspiration and skills to solve those challenges themselves.
“The Lees’ vision and leadership will catalyze growth, inspire new ways of thinking and learning, and further integrate the use of AI into Lehigh’s ecosystem,” says Urban. “We are deeply grateful for their support and eager to work with them as our AI Readiness initiative gains momentum.”
If the future is in AI, this gift gives Lehigh the tools to shape it.
