GBPUAT to train faculty members in AI for its proper use in teaching & research: VC

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Pantnagar

In a move to future-proof its classrooms and laboratories in Artificial Intelligence, the G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology has launched a campaign to train 100 per cent of its faculty members in the AI’s fundamentals, with a clear mandate to embed AI in both teaching and research in an adequate and appropriate manner, though with proper emphasis on human intervention. 

More than a hundred faculty members have already been trained, informed the university’s vice-chancellor, S K Kashyap. “The training’s focus is practical—to explore the real extent of leverage that AI platforms can provide across academic operations, from literature review and data analysis to course design and student mentoring,” he added. 

He further stressed that AI is no longer a subject to be taught in isolation. “It is an instrument that must be used responsibly in every discipline, from agriculture and engineering to social sciences. Our goal is that every teacher at Pantnagar understands what AI can do, and equally important, what AI cannot do. Technology should amplify human intelligence in the classroom and in the field, not substitute it,” Kashyap stated. 

Speaking of AI’s immense role in an agriculture university, he said that it offered tremendous potential in climate modelling, pest prediction, soil health analysis and smart farming. “But the final decision will always rest with the researcher and the farmer. AI can suggest, but it cannot assume responsibility,” he averred. 

Dwelling on what AI could do in the academic arena, the VC said that it accelerates research workflows. “For GB Pant University’s agriculture focus, this means faster crop modelling and precision-farming simulations,” he said.

The VC added that it might help personalise teaching, enabling the AI tutors to adapt problems to each student’s level and provide instant feedback. “Besides, it can automate routine work and handle big data,” he said.

Referring to what AI could not do, the VC said that it could not replace academic judgment. “AI cannot decide what is ethically sound or socially relevant for farming communities,” he added.

Further, he highlighted a 2023 Stanford study. “It found error rates of 15–20 per cent in factual answers without verification.” he remarked.

Asserting that GBPUAT is building institutional AI literacy, he emphasised, “The future is not AI vs Humans; the future is Humans with AI, guided by purpose, ethics and experience.”