Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), a Qatar Foundation partner university, has received the 2026 Library of the Future Award from the American Library Association (ALA) and Information Today Inc. The university’s library was recognized for its innovative program designed to help students and faculty navigate the complex world of artificial intelligence in higher education.
Quick Facts
- Received the 2026 Library of the Future Award.
- Honored for its AI2@CMU-Q campus initiative.
- Program uses a simple traffic-light system for AI use.
Navigating Academic AI with a Traffic Light System
The award-winning AI2@CMU-Q program was created to tackle growing student uncertainty around the ethical boundaries of using AI tools in their academic work. The initiative provides a practical institutional policy combined with a student-focused education program.
At its core is an intuitive, three-level framework that uses a traffic-light color system to define AI usage guidelines. “Green” signals that AI tools are welcome, “Yellow” advises using them with caution and within specific rules, and “Red” means no AI assistance is permitted. This clear visual guide has proven effective in helping students understand expectations for different assignments.
A Campus-Wide Collaboration
The initiative’s success was driven by a collaboration between the CMU-Q Library, arts and sciences faculty, the Student Affairs team, and the Student Majlis. This joint effort culminated in a five-day interactive campaign that addressed multiple aspects of AI literacy, including academic integrity, how AI systems work, and hands-on evaluation of AI tools.
Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, noted, “In this age of generative AI, the library team has been integral in our campus-wide approach to AI. I speak on behalf of the entire CMU-Q community when I congratulate the AI2@CMU-Q team on this award, including the faculty, staff and students across campus who worked with the library to support learning and education in an AI-driven landscape.”
The Library as a Hub for AI Dialogue
The program underscores the evolving role of university libraries as central points for critical technology conversations. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the library has created a space for thoughtful exploration of AI’s role in education.
“The questions surrounding AI are not solely technical questions,” said Reya Saliba, instruction and outreach librarian. “They are also questions about ethics, learning, information literacy, and human judgment. Libraries are uniquely positioned to help students and faculty navigate those conversations.”
About AI2@CMU-Q
AI2@CMU-Q is an initiative developed by Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar to provide a clear and practical framework for the ethical use of artificial intelligence in academic work. It features a three-tiered, color-coded system that helps students and faculty understand the permissible levels of AI assistance for various academic assignments.
Source: QNA
