Innovation Accelerator Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence
Responsible AI, Real Impact
Harvey Mudd’s Innovation Accelerator Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence (IAL-AI) advance a human-centered approach to AI through hands-on prototyping, responsible software development and interdisciplinary teaching. Three projects were selected for seed funding through the recent call for proposals, reflecting the creativity, rigor and ethical responsibility that define Harvey Mudd’s mission and its thoughtful leadership during a pivotal moment for technology and society.
AI Experimentation (AXL)
The AI Experimentation Lab (AXL) aims to cultivate, support and disseminate faculty, staff and student innovation to help achieve Harvey Mudd’s promise of world-class undergraduate education in the age of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). AXL is reimagining higher education by creating communities of practice that explore how the College teaches AI and how it helps students critically examine AI’s broader ethical and societal implications. By intentionally bridging STEM fields with the humanities, social sciences and the arts (HSA), AXL inspires creativity and imagination while positioning Mudd as a national leader in shaping thoughtful, human-centered approaches to AI in education. Key activities include HSA-STEM partnerships, training grants that support innovative GenAI teaching, keynote speakers, conferences, creative research and production, and the development of workshops and AI-aware teaching materials. Through workshops, guest speakers, shared resources and creative experimentation, AXL will showcase Mudd’s leadership in envisioning a future shaped by GenAI. In collaboration with the Office of the Dean of the Faculty, the AXL team has already issued 10 microgrants to faculty piloting course innovations in response to AI.
Imaginative Prototyping with Artificial Intelligence (IPAI)
The Imaginative Prototyping with Artificial Intelligence Lab (IPAI) advances hands-on, prototype-driven exploration of AI’s creative potential and societal risks. The Lab brings students and faculty together in small, collaborative teams to build, share and critique AI-powered applications both within and beyond education. By grounding AI conversations in real, working prototypes rather than hypothetical scenarios, the Lab will help the Harvey Mudd community explore how AI can support learning and discovery while preserving human connection, critical thinking and responsible AI innovation. This Lab is designed to support Harvey Mudd’s leading role in STEM education, considering how the College might thoughtfully engage with AI by leveraging talent, imagination and resources within the community to enable responsible and effective action.
Prototype-first Programming
The Prototype-first Programming Laboratory advances a new model for computer science education that prepares students to design, evaluate and responsibly steward AI-enabled software systems. The Lab centers on “authorial accountability,” helping students develop technical skill alongside ethical judgment in the use of AI tools. Through prototype-first coursework, co-curricular AI learning modules and community partnerships, the lab expands access to AI literacy and entrepreneurial skills while equipping students to build and deploy AI technologies thoughtfully and responsibly.