Embedding AI competency across the University

Since creation in March 2025, the AI Ambassador programme continues to go from strength to strength, playing an increasingly important role in embedding AI competency across the University. The network has grown to over 220 Ambassadors, now representing more than 100 departments, 65% of the University, and all divisions, including GLAM and Oxford Lifelong Learning. This is a major milestone and a clear sign of the enthusiasm for sharing AI knowledge across Oxford.

That momentum was on display at the AI Ambassador Showcase on Monday 18 May, where 55 colleagues joined in-person and online to celebrate and learn from the work already happening across the University.

Four AI Ambassadors spoke to the group about how they have already been supporting colleagues in their departments: Jenni Spence from the Department of Physics, Marion Sadoux from the Language Centre, Michael McKenna from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, and Konstantin Koshechkin from Oxford Cancer. Their presentations, which detailed how they developed peer-led AI trainings in their local departmental contexts, demonstrated how the Ambassador programme has been helping responsible AI skills spread across Oxford in ways that are relevant to different teams and contexts.

The showcase also featured peer-led training from AI Consultant Kelly Webb-Davies, who led a session on developing AI-assisted lesson plans. Ambassadors then had the opportunity to put this into practice themselves, creating lesson plans collaboratively through Padlet. Resources from the event are available on our Canvas pages.

Together, the continued growth of the programme and the success of the showcase highlight just how much the AI Ambassador community is achieving. As the network continues to expand, so too does its potential to build confidence, capability, and shared learning around AI across the University.

Find out if there’s an AI Ambassador in your department and how you can join this vibrant network.