Office of The Provost | Office of the Provost

Alec D. Gallimore

Provost and chief academic officer of Duke University

Report to the Duke University Provost AI at Duke Steering Committee February 2026

New report recommends path forward for Duke and artificial intelligence

A new report from the AI at Duke Steering Committee outlines a strategic framework to guide Duke’s future investments and initiatives in AI while enhancing the university’s role in advancing responsible and human-centered AI innovation.

Grounded in extensive faculty input and engagement, the report is the culmination of nearly two years of planning and deliberation. Key priorities include foundational and human-centered AI research, student engagement, shared computing infrastructure, and responsible governance.

The recommendations aim to support Duke’s core mission of research and teaching by building technical capacity for AI development while also advancing holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to AI that keep humans at the forefront of innovation.

Provost Alec D. Gallimore launched the AI at Duke initiative following the inaugural Duke AI Summit in 2024, which brought together faculty and administrators to engage with a rapidly evolving AI landscape and underscored the need for a coordinated approach and infrastructure. Gallimore convened the AI at Duke Steering Committee and charged it with evaluating Duke’s strengths in AI and identifying gaps and opportunities for elevating the university’s academic leadership in its development, application and responsible oversight.

Read the Announcement

Download the Report Summary

Download the Report (Duke NetID required)

Spotlights

Investing in Impact for all

Innovation and the ambition that underlies science and technology have always been a part of Duke. Now, with Duke Science and Technology (DST), we're placing our biggest bets on global challenges that will have a tremendous impact for every person on the planet.

Leaning In On Free Inquiry and Open Dialogue

The Provost’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry and Belonging is creating opportunities for Duke students, faculty and staff to maximize learning and growth in a pluralistic academic environment and society, including programs to foster constructive conversations across diverse perspectives and build skills to engage complex topics with an open mind and humility.

Learn about Pluralism, Free Inquiry and Belonging

Engaging with the Future of Research and Education

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming our future by driving innovation across research and education. The AI at Duke Initiative is bringing together Duke experts from across all disciplines who are advancing AI research and applications, addressing the most pressing ethical challenges posed by AI, and shaping the future of AI in the classroom and in our lives.

Explore Duke's Approach to Artificial Intelligence

Defining the Future of Global Academic Engagement

When Duke has strong international engagement, we can attract the best students and faculty from around the world, expand our students’ horizons by offering broad and compelling educational opportunities, and forge partnerships that expand our faculty’s ability to conduct research that can have an impact on the most pressing global challenges.

READ ABOUT DUKE'S STRATEGY

Nurturing a Culture of Intellectual Collaboration

Interdisciplinarity is one of Duke's superpowers. Our uniquely collaborative and boundary-crossing intellectual culture creates transformative learning opportunities for our students, innovative research partnerships for faculty, and meaningful partnerships with communities—both local and global.

INTERDISCIPLINARY OPPORTUNITIES AT DUKE

Five Named Provost Faculty Fellows

Professors Jennie De Gagne (Nursing), Felipe De Brigard (Philosophy and Psychology and Neuroscience), Polly Ha (Divinity and History), Eric Green (Global Health), and Kate McDaniel (Neurosurgery) have been selected as Provost Faculty Fellows for the 2026-27 academic year. The selective program aims to introduce Duke faculty members to key leadership roles and responsibilities and areas of strategic focus of the university. In addition to working on their projects in the coming year, the fellows will have the opportunity to meet and shadow key members of the Provost’s Office leadership team, attend Provost’s Cabinet meetings, meet other campus leaders, and take part in leadership training.

Read about the Fellows

News and Announcements

Duke Reponds to Proposed Changes to Rules Governing Federal Grants

On July 13, Duke submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget detailing concerns with proposed changes to the framework that guides how federal grants are awarded and administered.

JR DeShazo Appointed Next Dean of Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy

A distinguished scholar and public policy expert, DeShazo comes to Duke from the University of Texas at Austin, where he has served as dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs since 2021. He will begin his term July 1.

Manoj Mohanan Named Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Programs

Mohanan, an applied microeconomist who previously served as interim dean of Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy, will be responsible for advancing interdisciplinary research, teaching, and engagement.

Duke Launches Global Higher Education Network

The Future Universities Alliance brings together leaders from startup, emerging and established universities around the world to accelerate innovation in learning, expand access to more learners and share practical insights to improve educational quality across diverse institutional and national contexts.

Faculty Report Proposes Vision for Advancing Computing Innovation

The working group, co-chaired by Professors Jeffrey Glass and Eric Laber, recommended creating a new cross-school academic unit to coordinate and connect expertise across disciplines.

Mary Frances Luce Appointed Dean of Fuqua School of Business

Luce, who has served as interim dean since 2024 and is the Robert A. Ingram Professor of Business Administration, is the first Fuqua graduate to serve as dean, having earned her Ph.D. in business administration with a concentration in marketing in 1994.