Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi has developed an artificial intelligence platform that has significantly reduced the administrative workload of its professors, according to university president Ebrahim Al Hajri. Speaking at the AI Everything Abu Dhabi conference, Al Hajri said the platform has cut the time faculty spend on tasks such as class preparation, exam design, and grading by approximately 60 percent, allowing academics to devote more time to research and teaching practical skills to students.

The AI system offers each student a personalized assistant embedded with course material spanning from first year through senior year. This approach helps students understand the relevance of early coursework—such as differentiation in mathematics or English composition—in relation to their future careers, including fields like media and writing. Additionally, the platform tracks student interactions to identify potential talent and areas for skill development.

Since its launch at Khalifa University, the platform has been extended to private schools in Abu Dhabi, where over 220 teachers use it to spend half their instructional time on learning core theories and fundamentals. Meanwhile, instructors act as "orchestrators," integrating industry experience and real-world challenges into classroom activities. Al Hajri anticipates that within two years, the platform will be able to automatically design lesson plans and recommend student groupings based on leadership, technical abilities, and other competencies.

The system aims to better prepare graduates for the workforce by facilitating collaborative and individual projects that directly connect academic theory with practical applications, addressing a frequent industry concern regarding the job readiness of new university graduates.

Al Hajri also emphasized the distinctive role universities play in the integration of emerging research into education. He highlighted that many foundational AI innovations, such as neural networks, originated in academic settings before being commercialized by entrepreneurs. Universities not only contribute to knowledge creation but also serve as trusted venues for evaluating and governing artificial intelligence, bridging the gap between business and government.

Khalifa University’s curriculum development begins with clearly defined graduate attributes, then incorporates AI and entrepreneurship elements before layering subject-specific content, underscoring a strategic approach to preparing students for evolving professional landscapes.