What does it take to make a university truly AI-ready?

In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Bharat Prabhakaran, Vice President and Chief Digital Officer at the University of Cincinnati, to explore how one of the nation’s leading R1 institutions is operationalizing AI at scale.

From launching Bearcat GPT — a secure enterprise AI platform — to building a cross-functional AI Community of Practice, Bharat shares how UC is balancing innovation, governance, and measurable impact.

This isn’t a theory.
It’s AI in action inside a 54,000-student university.

🔎 What We Cover
– The strategy behind launching Bearcat GPT
– Why data lakehouse architecture is foundational for AI
– How UC evaluates and selects AI use cases
– Agentic AI in enrollment, advising, and operations
– AI governance and responsible AI frameworks
– Preparing students for an AI-disrupted workforce
– Why People → Process → Technology still defines transformation

🎯 Key Takeaways
✔ You cannot scale AI without fixing your data first
✔ Governance is not a blocker — it’s an enabler
✔ The best AI ideas come from the edge, not the center
✔ AI success must tie directly to business or student outcomes
✔ Continuous learning and adaptability are essential for AI leaders

If you’re a Chief AI Officer, CIO, digital leader, or higher education executive navigating AI transformation, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.

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