At the 91¸£Àû´óÈ«, Corporate and Community Education is helping Central Arkansas companies explore how AI can fit into their work through hands-on training tailored to each organization’s needs.

The training meets companies where they are, whether employees are just beginning to explore AI or already using the technology regularly. Courses range from AI for leadership to applications tailored to specific industries, drawing on the expertise of UA Little Rock faculty and staff.

Marla Johnson, UA Little Rock’s tech entrepreneur-in-residence and AI workforce training coordinator, works directly with organizations before training begins to understand their workflows, goals, and challenges. She uses that information to shape each workshop and bring together faculty and staff with relevant expertise.

“I really do my homework,� Johnson said. “I spend time understanding their business.�

For Flake & Company, a commercial real estate firm, the goal was to streamline behind-the-scenes work. Jessica Flake Dearnley, principal broker and owner, reached out to Johnson to explore how AI could help the firm manage routine administrative tasks, speed up financial analysis, and support real estate decisions, including evaluating lease prices and developing counterproposals during transactions.

Dearnley sees the potential for AI to give her team more time to focus on the company’s future.

“Hopefully, we can focus on growth and ideas, and what’s next, and not get buried in the weeds,â€� she said.

At McLarty Automotive Group, AI training focused on how employees could use the technology to strengthen their decision-making and leadership skills.

As the company prepared to launch two new leadership development programs, it incorporated AI training into its sales leadership program. Nicole Erlan, the company’s learning and development manager, worked with Johnson and her team to develop the course.

After the training, employees began exploring ways to apply AI beyond the initial session. Erlan said one employee started using it as an executive coach to explore ways to become a more effective leader. Others used AI to dig deeper into reports and consider additional possibilities when setting priorities.

At the same time, the company’s IT team was evaluating how McLarty could adopt AI while protecting its information. Kirby McGill, the group’s IT director, and his team researched how large language models work and considered tools such as Microsoft Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT, weighing their potential uses against the company’s security requirements.

“One of the biggest challenges for me was figuring out what this does to our security posture and how we protect McLarty data,� McGill said. “A priority is helping people understand why those security guardrails are in place while still giving them the tools to get results.�

Tarco CEO Steve Ratcliff and several employees were already exploring AI’s potential before working with Johnson, but her specialized training gave the team a chance to build on that foundation and explore how AI could further support Tarco’s operations.

They initially focused on areas such as sales, marketing, finance, and accounting. As they worked with Johnson, they began applying AI to more complex tasks, including automating financial processes, evaluating financial options and analyzing business decisions. Employees used AI to develop automated processes for a workbook with more than 60 worksheets covering the company’s locations and sales regions. Previously, they had to manually update figures, enter sales data, check totals, and prepare separate regional reports. AI helped the team create macros to automate many of those steps. The team also used AI to remove outdated information from the workbook, reducing its file size by nearly half. A process that once took at least two hours now takes about 30 minutes. 

Beyond financial reporting, Ratcliff has used AI to evaluate financial options and improve decisions about customer orders. He used the technology to compare multiple loan scenarios and generate amortization schedules, completing a process that would have taken much of a day in about 45 minutes. Tarco, one of the largest independently owned manufacturers of roofing and building envelope products in North America, has also developed a process to help determine how to fulfill recurring weekly customer orders. With plants in Texas and Pennsylvania, the company weighs production costs, current freight rates and product availability to determine which location should handle an order. The tool analyzes those factors and recommends which location should fulfill the order, helping Tarco make faster, more informed decisions.

As Tarco continues to explore new applications, Ratcliff said the company is focused on using AI to evaluate information, compare alternatives and question assumptions, rather than simply complete individual tasks. Employees remain responsible for checking the information and making decisions.

“AI is not replacing the institutional knowledge and experience already inside Tarco; it is helping us apply that knowledge more effectively while people remain responsible for validation, judgment and the final decision,� Ratcliff said.

Although the applications differ from one company to the next, each reflects an effort to find practical ways to address everyday challenges and help employees make better use of their time and expertise. For Johnson, that is the purpose of the training: helping businesses understand what AI can do for them now while preparing for how the technology will continue to evolve.

“I want every company in Central Arkansas to take advantage of these classes,â€� Johnson said. “They will help you and your team be prepared for now and what’s to come.â€�

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“There’s a need for this (service), because it solves the problems for an industry known to have high operating costs and low profit margins,” said Bell, founder and CEO of Stratos Digital. “I’ve been into technology since I was 7 years old, so this is the manifestation of a dream I’ve had my whole life.”

Arkansas entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for transforming business operations and accelerating growth with AI competed for a chance to win up to $50,000 in services at the Oct. 15 competition hosted by the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), along with UA Little Rock’s School of Business, Tech Launch, and the Workforce Development Center. The runner-up and third-place finisher for the judged competition also won prizes, $35,000 and $25,000, respectively. 

Funding has been Bell’s top challenge as he tries to build his enterprise — “nobody wants to help startups these days” — so the $50,000 in services will be critical, he said. Winning is “humbling and great, exactly what we need to build our enterprise on one of the best platforms in the world.”

To pitch, entrepreneurs had to apply for a spot in the competition, and those selected pitched their concept in front of judges with the chance to win AWS Partner funding allocated toward technical resources, architecture support, and solution development services delivered by nClouds in collaboration with AWS (subject to program eligibility and scope). All competitors received expert feedback on how to bring their concepts to life.

“The different pitches showed that our Arkansas small businesses and entrepreneurs have highly creative ideas, and now the three winning companies will get some amazing support in accelerating their ideas with AI,” said ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine. “We appreciate Amazon Web Services, nClouds, and all the partners who joined us in making this engaging event possible.”

For those hoping to follow Bell’s pitch success, he recommends research and following passion.

“Do your research, know your customers and competition, and optimize your pitch based on your passion,” Bell said. “I’m very, very passionate.”

The Victor AI platform answers every call, in English and Spanish — other languages can also be requested — knows the menu well enough to not only accept orders, but answer questions, and attempts one upsell per order with the aim of boosting restaurant profits, said Bell, a military veteran who resides in Central Arkansas. Victor “understands real speech,” and prevents missed calls — or calls that go to voicemail — which often result in cancelled orders. 

It allows employees to keep their focus on the kitchen, rather than on the phone, and customers pay prior to any food being made, which eliminates food waste, added Bell, who already has two restaurants in Arkansas utilizing Victor, but plans to scale up with assistance from his pitch competition victory. 

Ashley Franke, founder of The Rockin’ Chair, was runner-up, while James Hensley, founder of On Paper, rounded out the top three.

The Rockin’ Chair aims to make live event venues more accessible for individuals with disabilities by providing accessibility information all in one place, rather than forcing individuals to hunt for those details.

Franke, “a big concert fan,” wants the roughly 25% of Americans who — like her — have a disability, to enjoy access to live music, sports, and theater. The venues would also benefit, because by making accessibility a priority, they ensure events at their venues are truly open to all. 

Her platform is already live, with a website and mobile app, and winner of the Pitch ‘N Pint competition hosted by The Venture Center in Little Rock. In the near future, she hopes to secure partnerships with event venues — which would fund the service so it’s free for fans — and expand fan adoption.

As he adjusted to life after incarceration several years ago, he felt “overwhelmed� by all the conditions he had to meet to remain free and realized many others faced similar challenges.

Indeed, roughly 25% of probation/parole violations are for technical violations — meaning a person did not comply with a condition of their supervision, rather than new crimes — according to research from the Council of State Governments Justice Center (CSGJC).

With On Paper, an individual can take a photo of his or her condition sheet, and feed it into the AI platform, which will then not only translate “legal language into plain English,” but provide reminders and alerts so appointments are never missed, Hensley said. Users can also upload updated conditions as warranted.

The data remains always in the user’s hands, and it’s free for them, with the costs shared by nonprofits and parole and probation departments, as helping individuals avoid the technical violations that return them to incarceration saves money in the long run, he said. The app is also already live, and there’s a massive market, as Arkansas alone currently has 70,000 individuals on supervision.

Paul Cowart and Ron Merrill of Privagent had the winning pitch in the inaugural event, held in April, and praised the competition as several of the second iteration’s competitors did.

“It was a great experience for us — it helped us refine our message, (as well as) the look and feel of the company — and it gave us confidence,� Merrill explained. “It opens doors, and it’s a real prize, too, that can really launch a company.�

Winning was “validating, (a sign) that we might be onto something, and definitely a confidence boost,� added Cowart. “It showed us we had a good idea, and I recommend (this competition) to anyone.�

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While these personalized recommendations can make social media more engaging, they can also create opportunities for manipulation, according to Dr. Nitin Agarwal, a 91¸£Àû´óÈ« researcher studying the intersection of artificial intelligence, human behavior, and online influence.

Agarwal, founding director of UA Little Rock’s Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies () Research Center, recently shared his expertise with — formerly the Arkansas Center for Data Sciences — following a landmark court ruling involving Meta and YouTube.

Agarwal, who also serves as Maulden-Entergy Chair and Donaghey Distinguished Professor of Information Science, discussed social media addiction, algorithmic recommendations, and their broader societal implications.

The conversation explored how social media platforms are designed to capture users’ attention and how those same technologies can potentially be exploited to influence what people believe and how they behave.

“I felt it was an important conversation because the case raises questions that go well beyond how much time we spend on our phones,� Agarwal said. “It gets to the fundamental issue of how AI-powered platforms are engineered to capture and retain human attention and what happens when those same mechanisms influence what people see, believe, and ultimately do.�

At COSMOS, Agarwal and his team have spent years examining the relationship between artificial intelligence, social networks, and human behavior. Their research focuses on understanding how information spreads online, how algorithms shape what users encounter, and how malicious actors can exploit those systems to manipulate public perception.

According to Agarwal, social media recommendation systems operate through a continuous feedback loop. As users interact with content, algorithms learn what captures their attention and use that information to personalize future recommendations. Those recommendations, in turn, influence how users engage with the platform.

While this process can help people discover relevant content, it can also expose them to increasingly narrow information environments and reinforce particular narratives or beliefs.

“The same AI infrastructure that can keep someone scrolling can potentially be exploited to keep someone inside a particular narrative or worldview,� Agarwal said.

This potential for manipulation is one of the central concerns driving COSMOS research in cognitive security, a field examining how information and technology can be used to influence human perceptions, beliefs, and behavior.

Agarwal explained that malicious actors do not necessarily need to compromise a computer system or take control of a social media platform to influence its users. Instead, they can exploit human psychology and the algorithms themselves.

One way malicious actors can exploit these systems is by making certain posts appear more popular than they actually are. Through networks of automated or coordinated accounts, they can artificially boost engagement, potentially increasing the likelihood that a platform recommends the material to a wider audience.

“That is why our research approaches cognitive security as a socio-computational problem,� Agarwal said. “You cannot adequately understand the threat by studying human behavior or artificial intelligence independently. You have to understand the interaction between them.�

At COSMOS, researchers are using artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis to investigate suspicious online activity and uncover patterns that may indicate organized manipulation. Their work also examines how influence campaigns develop, spread across platforms, and adapt over time.

COSMOS has received more than $30 million in research support from federal agencies, including the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and National Science Foundation.

Its research has also attracted interest from NATO and defense communities in Europe, Australia, and Singapore, reflecting the growing international importance of protecting information environments from manipulation. Tools developed by Agarwal to mitigate cognitive threats have been recognized by NATO’s innovation hub as among the top 10 globally for countering cognitive warfare. 

UA Little Rock students also contribute directly to federally funded COSMOS projects addressing issues involving artificial intelligence, misinformation, and national security.

Working alongside faculty, students analyze information gathered from social media platforms and gain practical experience with technologies such as machine learning, data analytics, and large language models.

“Students are integral to virtually everything we do at COSMOS,� he said. “They are not simply observing research. They are actively participating in federally funded projects addressing real-world problems of national and international importance.�

Beyond identifying threats, Agarwal believes researchers have an important responsibility to help make artificial intelligence and social media technologies safer, more transparent, and more resilient to exploitation.

Through his participation in the Governor’s AI Center of Excellence Task Force, Agarwal has also contributed research perspectives to discussions about responsible AI adoption, government effectiveness, safety, and public trust in Arkansas.

He emphasized that addressing the risks associated with artificial intelligence requires a shared commitment from technology companies, researchers, policymakers, and the people who use these platforms. For everyday social media users, he encourages greater awareness of how online content is recommended and how it influences their emotions and decisions.

“We should periodically ask ourselves: ‘Why am I seeing this? Why does this content make me angry, anxious, or excited? Did I choose to spend this much time here, or did the system successfully keep me engaged?’� Agarwal said.

For Agarwal, understanding the influence of artificial intelligence is an important step toward ensuring these technologies are developed and used responsibly.

“AI is extraordinarily powerful, but ultimately, we determine the values and objectives around which these systems are designed,� Agarwal said. “AI doesn’t define us, it reflects us.�

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Students in the 91¸£Àû´óȫ’s new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence want to do more than simply use AI. They want to understand how it works and explore what they can build with it.

This fall marks the inaugural semester for the new major, which gives students the opportunity to study topics ranging from AI governance and machine learning to natural language processing, robotics, and deep learning. The 120-hour program combines technical coursework with hands-on projects and includes two capstone courses that allow students to apply their knowledge. 

For freshman Anshika Singh, the new degree comes at a time when her curiosity about technology is becoming a career goal.

Singh, an India native who has lived in Little Rock for the past four years, initially planned to major in computer science, but as she learned more about the growing role of artificial intelligence in technology careers, she decided she wanted to study AI more directly.

“I was originally planning to major in computer science, but the more I looked into it, the more I realized AI was reshaping what those jobs even look like,� Singh said. “A lot of roles that used to be purely computer science are folding in AI skills now. I wanted to actually understand the technology driving that shift instead of just adjacent to it.�

The new program appealed to Singh because of its emphasis on machine learning and the opportunity to specialize in a field she sees transforming the technology industry.

She is particularly interested in understanding the technology behind AI tools she already encounters in everyday life.

“I’m really looking forward to digging into the history of AI — how it actually got started — and then comparing how today’s models like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini work under the hood,� Singh said.

Her curiosity also extends to applications such as facial recognition and self-driving cars. After riding in a self-driving vehicle, Singh said, AI became less abstract and more tangible because she had experienced the technology firsthand.

She hopes to eventually work as an AI engineer, building and deploying machine learning models to solve real-world problems.

Junior Coy Stone also sees the new degree as a way to turn a longstanding interest in technology into a career.

A transfer student from Southern Arkansas University, Stone initially came to UA Little Rock intending to study computer engineering. During his first advising meeting, however, he learned about the new AI program and realized it aligned closely with what he hoped to do professionally.

“I actually transferred to UA Little Rock for computer engineering, but it was in hopes to work with AI,� Stone said. “When I was in my first advising meeting I was told about the new AI degree, and it sounded perfect for everything I wanted to do with my career.�

Stone is particularly interested in machine learning and the process through which computers can learn to identify patterns and solve problems.

“The way that a computer can ‘think’ its way through a problem is a concept I still struggle to grasp, so learning exactly how it all works is going to be really fun to study,� he said.

He is also interested in the potential applications of AI in health care, particularly ways the technology could assist doctors and contribute to improved patient outcomes.

Stone said he wants to use his education to do meaningful work that can make a difference in other people’s lives.

For Joud Musallam, pursuing an AI degree represents another step in a longer educational journey.

Musallam began her education in Jordan before continuing her studies in the United States and earning an associate degree in technology and engineering. She said artificial intelligence has been an area she has wanted to study since she first began college.

When she learned that UA Little Rock was offering a bachelor’s degree specifically in AI, she knew she wanted to pursue it.

“Being able to officially major in artificial intelligence at UA Little Rock feels really meaningful to me,� Musallam said.

She’s especially interested in learning how AI works beyond simply using the technology and exploring how it can be applied responsibly to real-world problems and different industries.

As UA Little Rock expands its academic offerings in artificial intelligence, students entering the new program will have the opportunity to study a rapidly evolving field alongside faculty engaged in AI and machine learning research. The university has existing research strengths in areas including artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and cybersecurity, providing opportunities for students to connect classroom learning with research and applied projects.

“What makes this program especially exciting is that it is built on a strong foundation of AI and machine learning research already taking place at UA Little Rock,� said Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the Graduate School. “Our students won’t just learn how to use the AI tools that exist today; they will have opportunities to understand the science behind them, work alongside faculty engaged in cutting-edge research, and develop the skills to build what comes next. This program will help prepare the AI builders of the future who can create, improve, and responsibly deploy the technologies that will shape our economy and society for generations to come.�

The new degree has also drawn interest from industry leaders who see opportunities to strengthen partnerships with the university and prepare students for the growing demand for AI skills.

“In the past, we might have had to go outside the state to look for some of these programs,� said Michael Goad, manager of cybersecurity and access management at Southwest Power Pool. “To see a program like this here locally, we’re excited to get to partner with UA Little Rock and for what this partnership looks like in the future.�

For Singh, Stone, and Musallam, the new degree offers different paths into the same rapidly evolving field, united by a shared desire to understand not just what the technology can do, but what they can do with it.

“I just know I want to do something meaningful, something that can actually impact the lives of others around me,� Stone said.

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“AI in Production� marked the second time UA Little Rock has hosted an AI InTheRock meetup, which creates open spaces for people across industries and backgrounds to connect, share ideas, and discuss the growing role of AI.

The Sept. 30 event brought together attendees for food, networking, presentations, and an open discussion among the audience and presenters. It featured presentations from Ouachita Labs and Arkana Laboratories on production machine learning, clinical AI, GPU infrastructure, and the use of AI models in renal pathology.

The event reflects UA Little Rock’s broader efforts to connect its academic expertise with the growing real-world applications of AI.

“AI is rapidly moving from something we study and experiment with to something that is actively transforming how organizations operate and solve problems,” said Dr. Tansel Karabacak, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. “At UA Little Rock, we want to be a place where students, faculty, industry partners, and the broader community can come together to explore these applications, learn from one another, and responsibly turn AI innovation into real-world impact for Arkansas.”

Matt Olson, co-founder of AI InTheRock, emphasized the importance of the discussion as AI continues to move beyond its familiar role as a search tool.

“AI in production is an important conversation right now because it affects everyone,” he said. “It’s not just a search tool; it can actually run processes. It can communicate with people. That’s why everyone should know about AI’s role in production.â€�

That shift also changes how people should think about AI and what it can do. Olson said one common misconception is viewing AI simply as a tool for finding information, rather than as technology that can help people solve problems, navigate situations, and accomplish tasks that previously were not possible.

“It’s not just a search tool. It can craft deals, listen to conversations, help mitigate situations, and come up with solutions,â€� Olson said. “I believe it’s less about artificial intelligence and more about a superpower, not a super intelligence. It’s a powerful tool that can give you the ability to do things you couldn’t do before.â€�

The next AI InTheRock event, “AI Distilled,â€� will be Oct. 21 at Little Rock’s Skyline Event Venue. Phil Brandon, UA Little Rock alumnus and founder and CEO of Rock Town Distillery, will discuss how the local distillery has used AI in its operations. For more information about upcoming AI InTheRock events, visit .

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Hosted by the 91¸£Àû´óȫ’s Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (DCSTEM), the event will bring together Central Arkansas’ growing AI community to explore how AI is transforming education, industry, innovation, and the broader community.

is a monthly meetup that brings together the Central Arkansas community to learn, share ideas, and explore real-world applications of AI.

This month’s event, “AI @ UALR x FlowZone by TruEx,� will highlight AI initiatives at UA Little Rock as well as a real-world collaboration involving FlowZone by TruEx.

“Central Arkansas has an opportunity to be a leader in how we use AI, and that starts with connecting the people who are learning, building and experimenting with the technology,� said Matt Olson, co-founder of AI in the Rock. “UA Little Rock is an important part of that ecosystem, and we’re excited to bring the AI in the Rock community to campus to learn from what the university is doing and share ideas about where we go next.�

UA Little Rock leaders will offer perspectives on the university’s AI efforts. Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the Graduate School, will discuss the university’s broader AI strategy, faculty collaboration and long-term vision. 

“As chair of the AI Council at UA Little Rock, I am committed to cultivating a cohesive, cross-disciplinary AI ecosystem,” said Berry. “Our vision is to bridge academic expertise with community needs, ensuring that we not only equip our students with future-ready skills, but also serve as a catalyst for innovation across Central Arkansas.”

Marla Johnson, inaugural tech entrepreneur-in-residence, will cover AI Hackathon events, industry collaborations, the startup ecosystem and experiential learning. 

“After riding emerging tech waves — web, mobile, social, online video, search — and training people across the country to turn new tech into new opportunity, I’m now equipping the next generation of Arkansas innovators with AI skills — professionals inside existing companies and students launching brand-new ones,â€� Johnson said. “I’m doing it so they can solve real problems that matter, not just chase what’s trendy.â€�

Executive Director of Workforce Development Dr. Aaron Duvall will examine workforce transformation, employer expectations and how Arkansas businesses can prepare for an AI-driven future.

“AI is changing the skills employers value and the way work gets done,” Duvall said. “For Arkansas businesses, the opportunity is to prepare now by investing in their people, identifying where AI can improve their operations, and building a workforce that knows how to use these tools effectively and responsibly.â€�

The event will also highlight UA Little Rock’s growing academic offerings in AI, including the Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, AI-focused courses, graduate programs and industry-ready certificates. Attendees will learn how these programs prepare students with the skills and experience needed to navigate an increasingly AI-driven workforce.

“AI is rapidly transforming how we learn, conduct research, innovate and work, and UA Little Rock has an exciting opportunity to help shape that transformation in Arkansas,� said Dr. Tansel Karabacak, dean of DCSTEM. “Through our academic programs, interdisciplinary research and partnerships with industry and the community, we are preparing students not simply to use AI, but to become the innovators and problem-solvers who will help define how it is applied responsibly in the real world.�

The conversation will also explore the challenges of using AI, including responsible AI use, human oversight, deepfakes and misinformation, and lessons learned through practical applications of the technology.

The event will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) Building. It is free and open to everyone, with food and beverages provided. Space is limited, so please register in advance. Visit the to learn more and RSVP.

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The public is invited to the event’s culminating Demo-and-Pitch Showcase from 2-5 p.m. June 12 in the Engineering and Information Technology Auditorium on the UA Little Rock campus. Attendees will have the opportunity to see student teams present innovative healthcare solutions powered by artificial intelligence and vote for their favorite projects.

Hosted in partnership with BioVentures, Arkansas Children’s, and Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, the weeklong program brings together students, healthcare professionals, technology experts, entrepreneurs, and mentors to develop solutions that could improve health outcomes across Arkansas.

“This is much more than a coding competition,” said Marla Johnson, tech entrepreneur-in-residence at UA Little Rock. “Students are working like startup founders. They’re identifying customer needs, collaborating with healthcare professionals, building solutions with AI, and learning how to transform ideas into products that can improve lives.”

Throughout the week, participants will work in teams structured like startup companies while gaining experience in artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, product development, customer discovery, business strategy, and public speaking.

Teams will tackle a variety of healthcare challenges, including next-generation drug testing, early mental health intervention, maternal and infant health in rural Arkansas, empowering cancer survivors, advancing Black men’s health, helping Arkansans navigate healthcare coverage options, and exploring music therapy for older adults.

The experience extends beyond technology and entrepreneurship. Students will participate in activities designed to foster creativity, wellness, and community engagement, including a drumming circle with support from the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, a community-focused experience connected to the Black Men’s Health challenge, and a branding and art project in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Johnson said the event was created to help students see how innovation can be used to address meaningful challenges in their communities.

“We hope students leave with new skills, new relationships, and perhaps even the foundation for future startups,” Johnson said. “At UA Little Rock, we genuinely care about the health and well-being of Arkansans. That’s why this experience exists. We want students to see how technology, entrepreneurship, and collaboration can create meaningful change.”

Organizers hope the event will spark new ideas, new partnerships, and potentially new ventures while helping students connect with like-minded peers from across the state who share a passion for innovation and service.

The Demo-and-Pitch Showcase on June 12 will feature presentations from all seven student teams as they compete for top honors and audience votes. Community members, educators, healthcare professionals, and technology leaders are encouraged to attend and support the next generation of Arkansas innovators.

Through initiatives like the AI Hackathon and HealthTech Startup Week, UA Little Rock continues to create experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for future careers while advancing innovation and community impact throughout Arkansas.

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The 91¸£Àû´óÈ« will host an exciting showcase of AI innovation this week, as the (AWS) AI Pitch Competition comes to the Reynolds Business Building on Thursday, April 16, 2026.

91¸£Àû´óÈ« event is part of a broader national initiative. and — both AWS Premier Tier Services Partners — have partnered with universities, small business development centers, and community organizations across the country to bring AI pitch competitions to local innovators. Past competitions have been held in Iowa, Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, Texas, Florida and beyond, with winners receiving transformative support to accelerate their AI solutions on AWS.

The competition is straightforward: innovators pitch their AI solutions live on stage to a panel of judges. The winner walks away with up to $50,000 in technical services funded by AWS. That prize brings real support, guidance and resources.

“At the , we work with businesses every day that are looking for ways to grow and stay competitive. AI is becoming part of that conversation, and this competition highlights how Arkansas entrepreneurs are putting it to work in real, meaningful ways,� said Laura Fine, state director of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center.

The two partners behind the prize bring serious credentials. PREDICTif, founded in 2007, holds nine validated AWS Competency designations, including Generative AI and Conversational AI, with deep expertise in data and analytics, AI/ML and cloud migrations. nClouds, a 2024 AWS Partner of the Year Award Finalist, rounds out the partnership with extensive cloud engineering, DevOps, security and managed services capabilities.

The evening kicks off with check-in and networking at 5:30 p.m., followed by welcome remarks and partner introductions. The main event, live AI pitches, runs from 6:10 to 7:40 p.m., giving each competitor the chance to present their solution and answer questions from judges. After a brief deliberation period, winners will be announced at 7:50 p.m., followed by a closing networking session.

Even if you’re not pitching, it’s worth showing up. The networking windows at the start and end of the evening are excellent opportunities, and watching a few live AI pitches with Q&A is a great way to get a read on where practical AI development is headed right now.

The competition is free and open to the public. Students, faculty, staff and community members are all encouraged to attend and support the innovators taking the stage. Whether you’re an entrepreneur with an AI idea, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about where artificial intelligence is headed, this event offers a rare opportunity to witness the next wave of AI innovation up close — right here in Little Rock.

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The role grew out of strategic use of the department’s Marie Wilson Howells Endowment, a fund dedicated to the study of the mind. Rather than supporting traditional programming, faculty chose to invest in a dedicated AI research position with no teaching obligations, allowing for focused work in a rapidly evolving field. The move builds on ongoing efforts to integrate AI into the discipline, including updated coursework and faculty development.

Jozranjbar’s position is distinct from traditional academic roles. Like many other universities, UA Little Rock is expanding its technical AI offerings, with a bachelor’s degree in AI set to launch in fall 2026. While that program focuses on building and applying AI systems, the scholar-in-residence role asks a different set of questions — examining how AI affects human thinking, learning and decision-making. Without a teaching load, the position allows for flexible, forward-looking research that can inform institutional decisions in real time.

Her work centers on trust calibration — understanding when people overtrust or undertrust AI systems and how that impacts learning. As AI becomes more common in educational settings, that question is increasingly important. The role also brings a psychological science perspective to AI, applying frameworks around trust, bias and decision-making to better understand how people interact with these systems. In addition to research, Jozranjbar contributes to university-wide conversations on AI strategy, ethics and policy, and supports outreach efforts aimed at improving AI literacy.

One of her key contributions this year is the development of an AI literacy curriculum, currently being piloted in introductory psychology courses with the goal of broader adoption across the department. The curriculum gives students across disciplines a practical understanding of how AI works and how to use it responsibly, with each module shaped by classroom feedback.

“Students in every field need a practical mental model of how AI works,� Jozranjbar said, “where it can help, where it can fail, and how to use it responsibly.�

Jozranjbar’s impact extends beyond her research portfolio. Women have long been underrepresented in STEM fields, and the gap has become more pronounced with the rise of AI, where women make up a small fraction of researchers, tenure-track faculty and senior leadership roles globally. That underrepresentation is not simply a pipeline issue. When the teams designing and studying AI lack diverse perspectives, the systems they build risk reflecting those same blind spots. Her presence in a role dedicated to researching how AI affects human thinking, trust and decision-making brings a perspective the field needs.

“Women in STEM is a big issue in academia,� Elisabeth Sherwin, chair of the Department of Psychological Science, said. “Having our inaugural scholar be a woman with a hard-science focus was particularly gratifying.�

Jozranjbar will join the UA Little Rock faculty as a full-time member next year, bringing with her the research momentum, institutional relationships and AI literacy work she has built during this inaugural year. What started as a creative use of an endowment has become something larger — a model for how a psychology department can navigate a fast-moving technological moment without losing sight of the human questions at its center. The work is ongoing, and the questions Jozranjbar is asking about trust, learning and what it means to think alongside machines are becoming increasingly relevant.

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Acclaimed scholar will speak on AI, creativity, and the future of work in his free public talk, Thinking, Work, and Creativity in the Age of AI, on March 31 at 5:30 p.m. Open to students, faculty, staff, and the broader Little Rock community this event is part of the university’s ongoing commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue around the issues that matter most to our region and our world.

“Dr. Bowen is a dynamic, charismatic Renaissance man and a gifted speaker, so he is particularly well-suited to offer a public talk. We hope the community takes advantage of his visit and attends his talk,� said Dr. Elisabeth Sherwin, Chair and Professor of the Department of Psychological Science. 

While the public talk is a highlight, it’s just one part of a broader visit designed to engage the campus in meaningful, practical ways. Dr. Bowen will deliver four presentations focused on AI.

On Tuesday, March 31, he will lead a full-day workshop, sponsored by the Department of Psychological Science and the Marie Wilson Howells’ Endowment, co-sponsored by the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE), and supported by the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education. The workshop will cover AI literacy, tools, prompting techniques, and practical strategies for designing AI-informed assignments, while addressing issues such as grading and academic integrity. That evening at 5:30 p.m., in the Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) auditorium, Dr. Bowen will give a public talk on how AI is transforming work, communication and human creativity. 

On Wednesday, April 1, Dr. Bowen will host a student session with the Student Government Association (SGA), on thriving in an AI-driven world, then conclude with a second workshop on redesigning online courses for the age of AI, covering strategies to improve learning, support academic integrity and integrate custom AI tools.

For Sherwin, who helped organize the visit, bringing Dr. Bowen to campus is a natural expression of what Trojans do — trying new approaches, forging unique partnerships and seeking creative solutions.

“We are UA Little Rock, that means we are part of the greater Little Rock metropolitan community,� Sherwin said. “To the Department of Psychological Science, that means that what we do should benefit the communities of which we are part, whether our students, faculty and staff or the larger public. In this instance, it includes a public-facing opportunity with speakers we invite. This maximizes impact and provides insight into the issues we engage with, which have recently included wrestling with the current disruptor — artificial intelligence.�

Bowen’s visit is one of several efforts the Department of Psychological Science has led to help campus and the broader community grapple with AI’s growing impact. Events like this public talk extend that work beyond campus walls, inviting the broader community to think critically and creatively alongside the campus. This talk is free and open to the public. At UA Little Rock, we believe that when our community learns together, everyone moves forward. Visit the event page for full event details, including date, time, and location.

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