The AI Observatory
The AI Observatory aims to support the U of A’s exploration of AI tools by serving as a central hub for sharing U of A-vetted tools, collecting information on active AI-related projects and providing insights into AI stumbling blocks or dead ends.
The Green List
Proven & Scalable
Tools and initiatives that have passed security, privacy (PIA) and pedagogical reviews.
The Incubator
Active Exploration.
High-potential pilots, "in-flight" research tools and pedagogical experiments.
The Archive
Institutional Wisdom.
Documentation of discontinued tools, failed pilots or "lessons learned."
AI Projects at the U of A
Project Stage: Currently in Use
Initiative Name: Narrative CV Assistant
Initiative Type: Research
Developed by: Research Development Services, VP Research
Contact: Ibironke Popoola
Primary User(s): Faculty, Staff
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? Yes
Project description: Helping researchers to meet the Tri-Agency Council's requirement for a narrative-style CV.
Initiative Name: Narrative CV Reviewer
Initiative Type: Research
Developed by: Research Development Services, VP Research
Contact: Ibironke Popoola
Primary User(s): Faculty, Staff
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? Yes
Project description: Helps researchers to review narrative CV drafts for structural compliance and narrative quality.
Initiative Name: Influence of artificial intelligence on xenotransplantation and regenerative medicine on the path toward ending the organ shortage
Initiative Type: Teaching and Learning, Research
Developed by: Kim Solez, Habba Mahal, Wisit Cheungpasitporn, and Giuseppe Orlando
Contact: Dr. Kim Solez
Primary User(s): Faculty, Undergraduate Students, Medical Students
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? Yes
Project description: As this 19-page paper describes, we suggest priorities in deciding which of the 24 big challenges of humanity we should task AI with trying to fix first and decide that ending the organ shortage in transplantation should have top priority. See Table 1 and Figure 1 in paper: Influence of artificial intelligence on xenotransplantation and regenerative medicine on the path toward ending the organ shortage.
- Kim Solez , Habba Mahal , Wisit Cheungpasitporn and Giuseppe Orlando
Renal Failure. 2026 July; 48 (1):1-19 10.1080/0886022X.2026.2685347 - See also: Kim Solez, Habba Mahal, Deborah Jo Levine
AI in Clinical Medicine. 2025 January; 10.14740/aicm7
Project Stage: Active Pilot or Experiment
Initiative Name: Gems Bank
Initiative Type: Teaching and Learning
Developed by: Centre for Teaching and Learning
Contact: Laura Velazquez Velazquez
Primary User(s): Faculty, Staff
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? Yes
Project description: We are exploring solutions to the challenge of scalable and personalized instructional support. We are currently developing a bank of AI-Gems chatbots tailored for instructors to help streamline repetitive student interactions, provide course assistance, and enhance learning support. By leveraging AI, these chatbots can deliver contextual, real-time guidance, improving accessibility and engagement while reducing instructors’ administrative workload.
Initiative Name: AI Scholarship Reading
Initiative Type: Administrative
Developed by: Student Financial Support, Office of the Registrar
Contact: Carlo Dimailig
Primary User(s): Staff
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? Yes
Project description: SFS is exploring the use of Gemini to read scholarship essays and provide a filtering score based on a rubric. This score will then determine what type of human reading occurs in the next phase.
Initiative Name: LearnWise
Initiative Type: Teaching and Learning
Developed by: Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Contact: Bradon Valgardson
Primary User(s): Faculty, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? No
LearnWise is an AI platform integrated with Canvas that provides 24/7 support to U of A students and instructors. Students can use LearnWise for study support grounded directly in their Canvas course materials, with configurations designed to guide learning rather than complete assignments for them. Instructors can use LearnWise to assist with course materials, feedback, and other administrative tasks, while gaining visibility into the topics students ask about most – a feedback loop that general AI tools can’t provide.
LearnWise is accessible in Canvas as part of a pilot running from September 2026 through May 2027.
Initiative Name: Digital Content and Web Transformation
Initiative Type: Operational
Developed by: Digital + Content Team, Marketing, External Relations
Contact: Shane Riczu
Primary User(s): Staff
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? No
The tools that we are building will be internal only for the purpose of auditing our internal web content at scale. The tools scrape HTML from ualberta.ca and pass that HTML content through an LLM process to categorize the audience, subject matter and content type for each page within the domain.
Initiative Name: PolicyPal
Initiative Type: Administrative, Graduate policies, procedures, guidelines
Developed by: Ali Shiri, Vice-Dean, GPS Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies Admin
Contact: Ali Shiri
Primary User(s): Faculty, Staff
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? Yes
PolicyPal is an AI-powered assistant that helps Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) staff find and understand graduate policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements, covering topics from admissions, academic standing and supervision to candidacy, examinations, leave of absence, appeals, academic integrity, and awards.
The problem that PolicyPal addresses: Graduate policy information is extensive, scattered across many sources, and written in dense regulatory language. Users often struggle to find and interpret the rules that apply to them, leading to confusion, missed requirements, and many routine inquiries to staff.
How AI is involved: Built as a Gemini Notebook grounded in official graduate policy documents, PolicyPal answers plain-language questions, summarizes requirements accessibly, and points users to the source policy. It supports navigation and understanding but does not replace official policy or staff advice.
Project Stage: Idea or Early Exploration
Initiative Name: AI in Education Working Group
Initiative Type: Teaching and Learning, Operational
Developed by: Mike Petryk School of Dentistry
Contact: Dr. Camila Pereira
Primary User(s): Faculty
Using a Gemini GEM or a similar AI feature? Unsure
Project description: We are discussing the possibilities and optimal timing for introducing AI capabilities in Dental education from a curriculum perspective. This group is also planning CE for faculty development.
Register your AI initiative with the AI Observatory
Use this short form to register your AI initiative so it can be visible across the university and help coordinate AI-related work across colleges, faculties and units.