Viewpoint: UNF launches free AI certificate program open to all amid tech’s growing impact (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — Artificial intelligence is everywhere and nowhere all at once. It’s in your music streaming service recommending a new artist based on your listening habits; it’s on the street easing congestion by controlling the timing of traffic lights; and it’s in your doctor’s palm diagnosing your ailment.
These examples represent but a tiny fraction of the spaces AI has infiltrated, and yet, to many people it remains unseen.
Of course, when AI goes rogue or results in harm to someone, it captures popular attention and compels us to ask, “should we AI everything?” Virtually no one was asking this question even five years ago and now it might be the defining issue of our time. Technology moves fast.
No matter what your stance is on the emergence of AI, it is undeniable that it is already having major impacts across society.
According to McKinsey and Company, over three-fourths of companies are using AI in at least one core business function. A recent survey in 16 countries found that over 86% of students use AI. Entry-level job postings in major corporations are down 15%, while less than 5% of colleges and universities in the United States offer AI training of any kind.
These startling statistics are often met with two kinds of responses — hype or resistance.
The AI hypers believe this technology will fundamentally change the world and exceed human intelligence in the near future (if it hasn’t already). AI resisters, by contrast, argue we should push back against the onslaught of Big Tech at all costs, even if it means reverting to the way we did things prior to AI’s explosion.
But while AI might never fully surpass human capabilities, it is already deeply embedded into many of the systems that structure our personal and professional lives. Therefore, a pragmatic approach, one that addresses the risks of unchecked AI intrusion while embracing the need to prepare ourselves for the rapidly arriving future, seems like a reasonable course of action.
In concrete terms, a pragmatic approach would involve sound policies that balance innovation with protection, democratic deliberation about where AI should and shouldn’t be deployed, and supporting efforts to train people for the jobs of tomorrow while not losing sight of the important role that education plays in promoting creative expression, critical thinking and good citizenship.
The University of North Florida is committed to realizing this vision of society, which is why we are weaving responsible AI use into our teaching, research, operations and workforce development.
Students have access to AI digital badges, faculty and staff receive training on Microsoft Copilot.
This month, UNF is launching a free AI certificate available to anyone, anywhere. As the major university in Northeast Florida, we understand our duty to our students and the broader community.
This means serving as a driver of both economic mobility and ethical inquiry.
The new certificate will help people understand how to use AI in their professional and personal lives. You don’t have to be a UNF student to watch the online, on-demand program or to earn the certificate.
AI presents challenges and opportunities, but the best way to ensure the future we want is to be part of it. Join us by registering for the AI for Work and Life Certificate, an eight-week, non-credit program that begins on Sept. 25. Individuals who successfully complete the course by Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, will earn a UNF certificate for free. The modules will continue to be available to the public for free after that. Learn more on UNF’s website.
Article written by Joshua C. Gellers, a professor of political science and director of the Digital Humanities Institute at the University of North Florida. He is also UNF’s first faculty fellow for AI. Photo courtesy of UNF.