LSU roars into AI
The university is building an AI ecosystem—and parents are now part of it.
LSU parents recently received an email letting them know that AI can now answer the questions their children claim to have no clue about.
Why it matters: Not only is it a handy tool for parents frustrated by the one-word text reply, but it's the latest example of how aggressively LSU is leaning into artificial intelligence, a technology that remains genuinely contested.
The details: The state's flagship university has launched the LSU Family Hub—a platform operated by a third-party vendor, CampusESP.
- The AI assistant is touted to provide parents "24/7 answers" to questions about campus resources, deadlines and how to support their students.
Embracing change: The Family Hub assistant is just one piece of a fast-growing LSU AI ecosystem:
- LSU launched MikeGPT in late 2024—a homegrown AI assistant built on 35,000 university documents, designed as a secure, LSU-specific alternative to ChatGPT for faculty and staff.
- The LSU Student Senate passed a resolution in November to allow MikeGPT for student tutoring—more than a year after the university promised students would have access.
- The LSU Board of Regents approved a new four-year AI degree, launching this fall, aimed at producing graduates who build AI systems rather than just use them.
- The Faculty Senate issued formal AI guidelines in fall 2025, giving faculty authority to set their own classroom policies.
The bottom line: LSU isn't tiptoeing into AI—it's sprinting.
