GVSU earns national recognition for AI innovation in education

The development of a visionary AI-powered application has earned Grand Valley a prestigious national honor. 

GVSU was selected as a 2026 CIO 100 Award winner by Foundry, recognizing the leadership of the Information Technology Division in the development of ProfAI, which was showcased at Tech Week GR in 2024 . 

For more than 40 years, the CIO 100 Awards have honored institutions and organizations that drive innovation, deliver measurable value, and demonstrate excellence in the strategic use of information technology.  

The project began when Chandrash Baid, assistant professor of management in the Seidman College of Business, sought help creating course content for his students. He connected with Joseph Van Harken, IT Innovation + Research’s innovator-in-residence, to explore potential solutions.

Van Harken and the team at GVSU’s futurEDlab partnered with students and faculty to develop ProfAI, an AI-powered tool that transforms hour-long lectures into concise and accessible 5–7 minute segments. The platform also generates a digital avatar of the instructor, mirroring their appearance and voice to deliver the content.

ProfAI is currently being used by a small group of faculty members. Van Harken said the tool is designed not to replace instruction, but to create more opportunities for meaningful faculty-student engagement.

“Emerging technology can feel intimidating, but when we explore it together, it becomes an opportunity,” said Van Harken. “ProfAI is about helping faculty feel more confident using these tools, creating efficiencies in their work and opening the door to new ways of thinking about teaching and learning.” 

Grand Valley will be recognized at the CIO 100 Awards & Conference in August in Frisco, Texas. 

“The futurEDlab is a collaborative platform uniting people, ideas and technology to spark innovation and shape the future of education at GVSU,” said Eric Kunnen, senior director of IT Innovation + Research.