Indiana University is continuing to earn recognition for its statewide leadership in generative AI by winning the AnalytiXIN AI Transformation Award at TechPoint’s 2026 Mira Awards.

IU was selected for its comprehensive, institution-wide approach to generative AI that reaches nearly 120,000 students, faculty and staff.

The Mira Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of Indiana Tech,” celebrates innovation across the state’s digital economy and honors organizations driving meaningful technological advancement.

Award judges highlighted IU’s strategy of combining broad access to AI tools with structured training and clear governance, enabling responsible and effective use of AI across teaching, research and operations.

GenAI 101 instructor Brian Williams interacts with Crimson, a real-time, conversational AI that provides on-demand support for learners. Photo by Indiana University Among the most notable achievements is GenAI 101, which teaches 20 practical AI skills and has already reached tens of thousands of learners. Now available to everyone worldwide, the course equips users with hands-on experience that immediately translates directly to academic and professional settings.

IU also launched one of the largest ChatGPT Edu implementations in higher education, further expanding access to cutting-edge AI tools.

The university’s work in AI is rooted in its IU 2030 strategic plan and integrated with each of the three foundational pillars:

• Student Success and Opportunity
• Transformative Research and Creativity
• Service to Our State and Beyond

Supported by a strong governance framework and a clear roadmap for continued integration, IU’s centralized hub at ai.iu.edu provides tools, guidance and best practices to help faculty, staff and students use AI confidently and responsibly.

“This recognition reflects IU’s commitment to doing AI the right way, at scale, with intention and with people at the center,” said Justin Hodgson, associate professor of digital rhetoric and director of Digital Gardener Initiative. “We’re not just introducing new tools, we’re building an ecosystem that supports experimentation, establishes clear guardrails and empowers our community to innovate across teaching, research and operations. That’s what makes this work truly transformative.”

This momentum is continuing with support from Lilly Endowment, whose grant funding is expanding IU’s AI capabilities, deepening training opportunities and advancing the integration of generative AI across IU’s academic and administrative missions. This work will be grounded in IU’s emerging Human + AI Learning Model, which strengthens distinctly human skills, including critical thinking, ethical reasoning, empathy and communication, alongside foundational AI literacy.

By pairing access, education and real-world application, IU is creating a scalable model for higher education while preparing students and employees for a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Since 1999, the Mira Awards have celebrated Indiana’s top technology innovators, disruptors, business leaders and game changers. The awards showcase the state’s most advanced achievements across multiple industries and highlight the spirit of innovation that defines Indiana’s digital economy.