Nittany AI’s experiential programs prepare students for an AI-driven future

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Nittany AI Alliance at Penn State has been shaping the future of experiential learning in artificial intelligence (AI) since 2017, long before today’s AI boom. As a University-wide leader in preparing students for an AI-driven world, the alliance invites the Penn State community to learn more at its first meeting of the academic year, to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 4 in the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub, room 603.

This event serves as both the kick-off to the 2025 Nittany AI Challenge and the first Nittany AI Student Society general body meeting of the fall, offering students the opportunity to hear from past challenge champions, discover upcoming programs and connect with peers passionate about the future of AI. All are welcome.

Housed in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, the Nittany AI Alliance brings together students from across colleges and disciplines, offering them hands-on opportunities to apply emerging AI tools through a variety of workshops, an open innovation competition called the Nittany AI Challenge, and industry-sponsored internships as a part of Nittany AI Advance. By integrating real-world applications with skill-building experiences, the alliance equips Penn State students with the critical AI literacy, problem-solving abilities and collaborative mindset needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

AI for every Penn State student: No technical experience needed

While the alliance may be housed in the College of IST, it’s not just for IST students. In fact, 30% to 40% of Nittany AI Challenge participants each year come from non-technical majors. Undergraduate students from across the University — with any level of technical skill or expertise — are encouraged to get involved in the alliance’s programs.

“For students studying business, communications, liberal arts or other disciplines, gaining AI literacy is increasingly essential,” said Andy Gatto, education program specialist for Nittany AI. “Understanding how these technologies work and how they shape industries provides a competitive advantage in any career path.”

Every student graduating from Penn State can benefit from hands-on experiences that teach them how to collaborate with technologists, apply AI concepts to their own fields and confidently navigate a world where AI is becoming part of everyday decision-making.

“We are facilitating innovative collaboration between businesses and top talent at the University and across the commonwealth,” said Daren Coudriet, Nittany AI’s education program manager. “Our goal is to prepare students for the AI-driven future.”

Watch a video: Getting involved with the Nittany AI Alliance:

Preparing students to succeed in an AI-enabled world

Artificial intelligence is transforming every industry and aspect of daily life, making AI skills a critical foundation for future success. The Nittany AI Alliance is dedicated to equipping students with hands-on experience and practical knowledge through immersive programs that build confidence and expertise in AI. Students eager to expand their AI capabilities can jumpstart their journey at one or more of Nittany AI’s fall 2025 events, participating in any of their signature programs:

Nittany AI Advance

Nittany AI Advance immerses students in real-world professional environments by connecting them directly with industry and nonprofit clients to collaboratively develop applied AI solutions for authentic business challenges. This experiential learning approach provides invaluable hands-on experience, enabling students to build practical skills, deepen their AI understanding and gain insight into the professional dynamics of AI project development. Advance aims to enhance student learning by instilling a deep understanding of AI while helping students develop the skills needed to successfully use AI technology and contribute to the evolving demands of the AI-driven workplace.

Charlie Watson participated as a student and now serves as an education program specialist for Nittany AI. In this staff role, he works to improve the quality of student projects and remove any obstacles students may face along the way.

“It’s about empowering students,” Watson said. “And that means staying on top of new AI techniques, seeking out new developments in industry and incorporating the best and most current approaches into how we support our students.”

Past AI Alliance projects have involved AI applications to predict the behaviors of American Red Cross blood donors, forecast hurricanes and earthquakes, find lost hikers, and match volunteers with nonprofits, to name just a few.

Nittany AI Challenge

The Nittany AI Challenge is an annual competition that spans the fall and spring semesters where student teams compete for funding to develop projects that use AI to solve pressing global issues. Students can:

• Gain valuable skills, including hands-on experience with AI technologies and critical leadership skills.
• Work on interdisciplinary teams that include a healthy combination of technical and non-technical members.
• Add to their resumes, develop capstone course projects, develop startup ideas and patents or even land an internship or full-time job through their new professional network.
• Win funding to support the development of their AI application.

And while students are benefiting from the challenge, so is the world; past projects have harnessed the power of AI for good — developing ideas and inspiration for health, humanitarianism, the environment and more.

Nittany AI Inspire

Nittany AI Inspire offers a dynamic series of events and workshops designed to ignite curiosity and inspire students from all backgrounds to engage with the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. By bringing together students, subject matter experts, AI professionals, and industry partners, Nittany AI Inspire creates space to explore emerging AI technologies, and the profound ways AI is reshaping our world.

One such event is the upcoming AI Showcase: Connect, Innovate and Flip the Script!, which provides an opportunity for students to present their AI projects — like those from the Nittany AI Challenge and Nittany AI Advance — to industry leaders.

Nittany AI Student Society

The Nittany AI Student Society is a community of Penn State students, with both technical and non-technical backgrounds, who share a passion for innovation in AI and machine learning. The society partners with Nittany AI Alliance to create opportunities for members to develop technology and leadership skills:

• Certification programs, like the annual Leadership Academy and the Machine Learning Bootcamp, aim to prepare students to use AI in business and startup settings.
• Out-of-classroom learning lets students engage in hands-on problem-solving, technical presentations, pitch competitions and more.

Visit the Nittany AI Alliance website for more information.