Building AI Programs at ETSU -- A Conversation with Dr. Williams
How East Tennessee State University is integrating AI into its curriculum, training faculty, and connecting students to the regional workforce. A Q&A with ETSU faculty. (Draft -- to be updated with actual interview responses.)
East Tennessee State University sits at the center of the Tri-Cities, and what happens inside its classrooms shapes the workforce for the entire region. As AI moves from research labs into everyday business tools, ETSU is building programs that prepare students not just to understand AI, but to apply it. We sat down with a faculty member to talk about what ETSU is doing, where the gaps are, and how the university is working with local businesses and organizations like TriCities.ai to close them. (Note: Dr. Williams is a placeholder name. This draft will be updated with the actual interviewee and their responses.)
The Interview
Q: What AI-related programs does ETSU currently offer?
ETSU offers a Master of Science in Computer Science with a concentration in AI and Machine Learning. That program covers the technical foundations -- neural networks, natural language processing, computer vision, and applied machine learning. But what we are increasingly focused on is making AI literacy accessible beyond computer science majors. Business students, education students, healthcare students -- they all need to understand how AI works and how it applies to their field.
Q: How are you training faculty to integrate AI into their teaching?
That has been one of the bigger challenges. Faculty across departments are at very different levels of comfort with AI. Some are already using AI tools in their research. Others are still figuring out how to write a syllabus policy about ChatGPT. We have been running internal workshops -- practical sessions where faculty learn to use AI tools in the context of their own courses. Not theory. Hands-on. How do you use AI to grade more effectively? How do you build assignments that teach students to work with AI rather than around it?
Q: What are students actually learning about AI right now?
In the CS program, they are learning to build and train models. But increasingly, the more important skill is learning to use AI as a tool. We are seeing students in business programs use AI for market research and financial analysis. Education students are exploring AI-powered tutoring systems. Healthcare students are learning about AI in diagnostics and patient communication. The shift is from AI as a subject to AI as a skill that cuts across every discipline.
Q: How does this connect to workforce development in the region?
The Tri-Cities economy depends on graduates who can walk into a local business and be productive from day one. That means they need practical AI skills, not just theoretical knowledge. We are working with regional workforce boards to identify the specific AI competencies that employers need. Eastman Chemical has 7,000 employees in Kingsport. Ballad Health is the dominant healthcare employer. These organizations are asking for graduates who understand AI-assisted workflows, data analysis, and responsible AI usage.
ETSU AI at a Glance
- M.S. in Computer Science with AI and Machine Learning concentration
- Faculty AI integration workshops across departments
- Innovation Lab supporting AI-focused startups and partnerships
- CloudWise Academy affiliate membership in the ETSU Innovation Lab
- Workforce board partnerships for AI training programs
Q: Tell us about the ETSU Innovation Lab and how it fits into the AI picture.
The Innovation Lab is a high-tech business incubator. It helps entrepreneurs and early-stage companies develop emerging technologies from concept through commercialization. It has an International Soft Landings designation, which means it serves as a bridge between our local ecosystem and the international business community. For AI specifically, the Lab connects university research with real-world business applications. CloudWise Academy is an affiliate member, which means there is a direct pipeline between the academic AI work happening at ETSU and the practical AI services being delivered to businesses in the region.
Q: What role do workforce boards play in this?
Workforce boards are essential. They represent the employers. They tell us what skills are missing in the labor market. And increasingly, they are funding AI training programs for displaced workers and career changers. We are building stackable credentials -- shorter, focused certifications that signal specific AI competencies to employers. Someone who completes an AI for Business Operations credential can demonstrate to an employer that they know how to use AI tools in a professional context, even if they do not have a computer science degree.
Q: What does the partnership between ETSU and TriCities.ai look like?
It is a two-way relationship. TriCities.ai brings the business perspective -- they know what local companies actually need because they are in those businesses every day running AI audits and implementations. We bring the educational infrastructure -- the ability to design curricula, credential students, and train at scale. Together, we are building programs that produce graduates who are not just AI-literate but AI-ready for the specific industries that drive this region's economy.
Q: What would you say to a business owner who is skeptical about whether AI is relevant to them?
I would say: it already is. Your competitors are using it. Your customers are interacting with it. Your employees are experimenting with it, probably without telling you. The question is not whether AI is relevant to your business. The question is whether you are going to be intentional about it or let it happen to you. Programs like ours exist to help businesses be intentional. And partners like TriCities.ai exist to handle the implementation so you can focus on running your business.
What Comes Next
ETSU is expanding its AI offerings across departments, building new workforce credentials, and deepening its partnerships with organizations like TriCities.ai, Tusculum University, and regional workforce boards. For business owners who want to see how AI fits their operation, start with a free AI Readiness Audit from TriCities.ai. For professionals looking to build AI skills, explore the programs at ETSU and CloudWise Academy.