University of Kentucky among nation’s 1st institutions to partner with Microsoft on responsible AI innovation
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 25, 2025) — The University of Kentucky has announced it will collaborate with Microsoft to advance the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and strengthen learning, innovation and care across the Commonwealth.
Operationalized through the university’s recently launched Commonwealth AI Transdisciplinary Strategy (CATS AI), Microsoft becomes a corporate partner in the Advancing Kentucky Together (AKT) Network, joining a growing coalition of education, health care, community and civic partners committed to expanding opportunities and improving the lives of Kentuckians.
UK is one of the first institutions in the nation to collaborate with Microsoft in building a comprehensive, stakeholder-engaged framework for artificial intelligence. UK will also receive early access to certain new resources for teaching, learning, health care and discovery. This distinction reflects UK’s growing leadership role in developing responsible and scalable models for how AI can support education, research, service and care.
Through CATS AI, UK will provide students, faculty and staff access to Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Studio, Microsoft 365 and the newly announced Agent Store. In addition, UK developers will use GitHub Copilot to deliver internal AI solutions for the school. UK doctors and nurses will use Dragon Copilot to improve patient care. The research enterprise will take advantage of the Discovery Platform to deliver research for various studies.
“This collaboration reflects what’s possible when innovation is guided by purpose. Microsoft is helping place Kentucky in the lead — not only in terms of early access to powerful tools but in how those tools are applied to solve real challenges with communities,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “Collaborating on this shared mission will help us do that for Kentucky by ensuring that every student, employee and community we serve has access to the tools driving the future.”
The collaboration advances a call-to-action from the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees to make the institution the partner of choice for leveraging artificial intelligence to improve education, health, workforce and community outcomes statewide. Through CATS AI and the AKT Network, UK’s collaboration with Microsoft will help ensure Kentucky remains at the forefront of responsible AI adoption and innovation.
About CATS AI
The Commonwealth AI Transdisciplinary Strategy (CATS AI) is the University of Kentucky’s comprehensive framework for advancing the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education, research, health care and operations. Led by an institution-wide council of academic, research, healthcare and administrative leaders, CATS AI connects, coordinates and amplifies AI initiatives across UK’s 17 colleges, libraries, UK HealthCare, research centers and institutes.
About the Advancing Kentucky Together Network
The Advancing Kentucky Together (AKT) Network is a statewide partnership that unites UK’s research, service and learning capabilities with partners to co-create solutions that expand opportunity, strengthen communities and improve well-being across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.