CAFE and AI

Most conversations about AI focus narrowly on student use and plagiarism. At CAFE, we flip the lens. We show how AI fuels faculty innovation in course design, streamlines accessibility and strengthens research workflows.

Faculty Fellow Spotlight: Antonio Byrd

As a CAFE Faculty Fellow, Dr. Antonio Byrd advanced a campus-wide conversation on how artificial intelligence strengthens teaching and learning at UMKC. He helped faculty apply AI tools thoughtfully, weigh ethical implications and test strategies that keep student learning and accessibility at the center. Through workshops, resources and dialogue, Antonio created space for UMKC instructors to experiment with AI in ways that feel practical, creative and rooted in their teaching contexts.

In 2024, Antonio guided faculty through some of the most pressing questions about generative AI and writing, helping us think critically about:

  • how students encounter GenAI and what "human-in-the-loop" practice can look like,
  • where GenAI belongs (and doesn't) in the writing process, and
  • how to navigate conversations with students about AI use and misuse with empathy and integrity.

That series laid the groundwork for inquiry into AI and teaching at UMKC. Starting in 2025, Dr. Byrd builds on that momentum through a Faculty Learning Community and new opportunities to experiment, question and imagine AI's future in teaching and research.

Generative AI in Scholarship

Faculty are also beginning to experiment with AI in research and writing. While AI cannot replace disciplinary expertise or peer review, it accelerates repetitive tasks in scholarship.

  • Research Rabbit (gateway tool): Generate a dynamic map of related work from one seed paper and discover connections you might miss otherwise.

  • Dig deeper with Elicit (specialized): Extract variables, compare methods and scan abstracts for trends. Especially useful in systematic reviews.

  • Stay current with Semantic Scholar (broad reach): Monitor over 200 million papers with live research feeds that update your saved searches.

  • Shape your own outlines with LLMs (flexible support): Tools like ChatGPT or Gemini can draft possible frameworks for a literature review section, which you then refine for disciplinary accuracy and emphasis.

As you explore, verify sources in your disciplinary databases, cross-check AI summaries with full texts and apply your critical judgment. AI accelerates your workflow, but your scholarly expertise and judgment always drives the process.

Resources for Your AI Journey

UMKC AI Task Force Report - June 2026

AI Tools Available at UMKC

Academic Technology AI Resources

AI Guidelines and Recommendations for Instructors

AI can support your teaching, help students learn and guide responsible use in the classroom.

Have an AI usage policy outlined in your syllabus (required). Be clear and specific about what can and cannot be used. For even better results, consider specifying approved usage for each assignment.