The Universities of Wisconsin and UW Credit Union have announced the launch of a new free, short-form online video series called the AI Skills Access Passport (ASAP). This initiative is designed to introduce Wisconsinites to the fundamental concepts of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). The ASAP series serves as an accessible guide, offering participants insights into how AI functions and its practical applications in daily life, addressing the rapid technological changes impacting schools, universities, businesses, and government agencies. Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman emphasized that this learning opportunity is part of the universities' commitment to extend AI knowledge beyond traditional academic settings, providing all state residents with a foundational understanding of AI that they can choose to expand upon. The series comprises seven concise videos, each approximately two minutes long, explaining what AI is, its current uses, and the inherent opportunities and challenges. This free online course is available now and is sponsored by UW Credit Union. The accompanying website also acts as a central hub for additional AI-related courses, programs, and educational resources available across Wisconsin’s 13 public universities, showcasing a collaborative effort to enhance AI literacy statewide. Steph Harrill Kyle, Director of Financial Inclusion & Community Engagement at UW Credit Union, highlighted the credit union's broad commitment to economic mobility, aligning with the universities' goal of fostering informed, capable, and empowered communities through free educational resources like ASAP, ensuring safe and confident AI usage.
Resources
This section provides essential links to headshots of key figures involved in the AI Skills Access Passport (ASAP) initiative. These include Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman, UW Credit Union's Director of Financial Inclusion & Community Engagement Steph Harrill Kyle, and UW-Stout's AI Integration Technologist Emily Laird. In addition to personal photos, it offers direct access to valuable ASAP media assets, specifically a prominent graphic representing the AI Skills Access Passport and a screenshot of its dedicated webpage. These resources are intended to visually introduce the leadership behind the project and offer supplementary visual aids for understanding the learning series' presentation and content.
About UW Credit Union
UW Credit Union is described as a thriving, federally insured financial institution that provides a full spectrum of financial services to the communities within the Universities of Wisconsin system. This includes offering convenient on-campus banking services at six distinct UW campuses. With a workforce exceeding 900 employees, the credit union effectively addresses the financial needs of over 375,000 members. This is achieved through the utilization of cutting-edge technology systems and an accessible network comprising 35 branch locations and more than 100 ATMs. Holding $6 billion in assets, UW Credit Union is recognized among the leading credit unions nationally. Its establishment dates back over 90 years, initiated by members of the University of Wisconsin faculty and staff, and it continues its mission as a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative with a significant presence in major Wisconsin regions such as Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point, Green Bay, Oshkosh, Whitewater, and La Crosse.
About the Universities of Wisconsin
The Universities of Wisconsin collectively serve a student population exceeding 164,600 across its 13 public universities. Annually, these institutions award more than 37,000 degrees, firmly establishing them as Wisconsin's primary talent pipeline. Graduates from these universities are well-positioned to enhance their earning power, make substantial contributions to their local communities, and ultimately improve the quality of life within Wisconsin. A notable statistic indicates that nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates choose to remain in the state five years after completing their degrees, reinforcing their local impact. Beyond their educational mandate, the universities significantly enrich Wisconsin's cultural and economic landscape through their groundbreaking research, the generation of new companies and patents, and a continuous flow of creative intellectual energy, demonstrating an impressive 23:1 return on state investment.
