Teaching and Learning with AI Conference

As Artificial Intelligence evolves from a novelty to an essential literacy, institutional leaders face a critical strategic inflection point: how to move beyond reactive policy-making toward proactive, scalable support. This session argues that the most effective way to foster AI fluency is not through digital modules alone, but through the strategic implementation of physical "third spaces." By examining a prestigious collaborative network—including the University of Minnesota’s AI Makerspace, Stanford’s Tinkery, and Notre Dame’s Lab for AI (LAITL)—we demonstrate how physical hubs serve as the bridge between abstract institutional strategy and classroom innovation.We will deconstruct the leadership logistics required to sustain these environments, specifically focusing on interdisciplinary staffing models, cross-departmental funding structures, and the curation of "low-stakes" hardware/software ecosystems. We shift the narrative from AI as a departmental silo to AI as a centralized library or lab resource that democratizes access. Participants will gain a high-level roadmap to transition their institutional strategy from a "policy-first" defensive posture to a "play-first" innovation culture, ultimately empowering faculty and students to move from passive consumers to ethical creators.