An AILA x i2i Venture Accelerator Event | October 30, 2025
By: Caitlin Kennedy Downey & Jiaqi Huang, AILA Staff
Students, faculty, and staff gathered for a lively discussion hosted by the AI in the Liberal Arts Initiative (AILA) and i2i: Idea to Innovation on how AI-driven search tools are reshaping research, learning, and creativity.
Facilitated by Liam and Ryan from i2i, the conversation began with the rise of new AI research assistants such as Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenAI’s Atlas—challengers to Google’s long-standing dominance. In light of Google’s ongoing antitrust case, participants considered how AI search might redefine competition, accuracy, and access to knowledge.
Attendees from across disciplines—STEM, humanities, and social sciences—shared experiences using AI tools in coursework and research. Many noted that while large language models (LLMs) offer speed and convenience, they also raise questions about accuracy, critical thinking, and overreliance. Faculty emphasized that research is a learning process built on curiosity and interpretation—something AI can support but not replace.
Discussions touched on how AI impacts fields differently: STEM students often use LLMs for conceptual clarification, while humanities students worry about losing depth in primary-text engagement. A recurring theme was the balance between efficiency and understanding—how to harness AI as a starting point for inquiry without undermining the cognitive work that makes research meaningful.
As one attendee summarized, learning to use AI well is “less about what it can do for us and more about how we think while using it.” The session closed with reflections on self-control, digital literacy, and the evolving role of curiosity in the age of intelligent search.