SUNY Cortland is stepping into the future of artificial intelligence through a new statewide partnership aimed at preparing students for the workforce while emphasizing ethical and responsible innovation.
The university is participating in the Advancing AI for the Public Good Initiative, a multiple campus collaboration led by Binghamton University and its Institute for AI and Society. Cortland will work alongside SUNY Broome, SUNY Delhi, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta and Tompkins Cortland Community College to explore the most ethical and effective uses of artificial intelligence in academics and research.
The initiative is part of New York’s broader Empire AI program, a statewide investment designed to expand artificial intelligence research, infrastructure and education across the State University of New York system.
A New Microcredential for the AI Workforce
A main goal of the initiative is the development of a free, online, noncredit microcredential titled AI Prep for Careers. The course, currently being developed this spring, is expected to launch in the fall semester.
The microcredential will introduce students to foundational AI concepts and workforce applications. Course content will cover how AI tools function, case studies across industries such as finance and health care, ethical considerations in implementation, and the mathematical and programming basics behind machine learning. Students will also learn about data management and processing for AI applications.
By offering this credential at no cost, the partnership aims to make AI literacy accessible to students from all majors,not just those in computer science or technical fields.
Immediate Impact on Campus Curriculum
At SUNY Cortland, the initiative is already reshaping coursework. Professor Chris Badurek, chair of the Geography Department and co-coordinator of the university’s Computer Applications Program (CAP), was approached by colleagues at Binghamton to bring Cortland into the collaboration.
“One of the required courses in the minor used to be called CAP 104: Computers in Society, but we’re changing the name and the thrust of that course to AI, Technology and Society,” Badurek said. “The emphasis is going to be more aligned with the curricular conversations that are part of the AI for Public Good Initiative. We’re having that going on right now and it’s an immediate campus impact.”
The CAP minor, an interdisciplinary program designed to build computing skills, will see curriculum updates supported by the partnership’s new resources. Students studying business, health care, sport management and other fields will have opportunities to apply algorithmic tools to quantitative data in ways that bring practical value to the workplace.
Badurek noted that generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Claude are already helping professionals streamline daily tasks, while more advanced AI research focuses on algorithm development and data modeling.
Research Opportunities Across Disciplines
Beyond coursework, the initiative opens new research pathways for Cortland students. The university will receive close to $100,000 in state funding, including support for two new paid summer undergraduate research fellowships.
Beginning this summer, two Cortland students will participate in a ten-week Summer AI Research Experience at Binghamton. The fellowship is open to students from any academic discipline and mirrors Cortland’s existing Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, but with a focus on AI applications.
Students will work on projects at Binghamton with input from Cortland faculty advisors. For example, Badurek currently mentors undergraduate researchers integrating AI and geographic information systems to analyze how residential development affects water quality in the Finger Lakes region.
Even students who do not participate in the summer program may benefit from expanded faculty research collaborations. The partnership is designed to strengthen research and curriculum relationships among campuses, allowing Cortland students to engage in AI-related projects directly with faculty at their home institution.
Ethics of AI
University leaders emphasize that AI education must go hand in hand with ethical responsibility.
Across SUNY, institutions are developing AI literacy courses and Centers for AI & Society to examine the societal implications of artificial intelligence. At Cortland, students can build AI literacy through CAP courses such as Intro to Generative AI and the forthcoming AI, Technology and Society class.
Faculty are exploring ethical questions surrounding AI use in areas such as chatbots, health statistics, sports marketing, social media, public education, law enforcement and financial technologies. By examining AI from multiple disciplinary perspectives, the initiative aims to prepare students to use these tools thoughtfully and responsibly in their careers.
“There is a new world of exciting, interesting aspects of AI application that touch every major at SUNY Cortland,” Badurek said.
A Statewide Vision
The Cortland partnership is part of a larger statewide effort to position New York as a national leader in AI research. In January, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Binghamton University will host the country’s first independent university artificial intelligence research center. The initiative will also be supported by a planned Empire AI supercomputer at University at Buffalo, providing advanced computing power to promote research and learning throughout SUNY.
For SUNY Cortland students, the initiative represents more than a technological upgrade. It signals a shift toward integrating AI literacy, ethical reflection and workforce readiness into the fabric of campus life. This ensures graduates are not only prepared to use artificial intelligence, but to shape its role in society for the public good.