Solving Real Campus Challenges Through Student-Led AI Quests
A joint initiative by The AI Hub and the CSE AI Makerspace pairs students with UMN faculty and staff to build practical AI solutions.
Where Student Talent Meets Campus Need
Across the University of Minnesota, faculty, researchers, and administrative units face operational and technical challenges that artificial intelligence could easily help solve. At the same time, students are eager for real-world experience building and deploying machine learning models.
AI Quests bridges this gap. A collaborative program between The AI Hub and the CSE AI Makerspace, AI Quests pairs motivated students with UMN project leads to design, prototype, and ship custom AI tools over the course of a semester.
How AI Quests Work
The program operates as a structured, project-based incubator. Faculty and staff submit "Quests"—specific problems requiring an AI or data science application—and student teams are selected to build the solution.
What Participating Students Receive →
Direct Mentorship
Weekly guidance from senior AI mentors and technical staff at the Walter Library AI Makerspace.
Enterprise Hardware Access
Dedicated compute time on high-performance GPU workstations pre-configured with PyTorch and TensorFlow.
Recognition & Rewards
Cash prizes, institutional micro-credentials, and physical recognition upon successful project completion.
Past Quest Spotlight: Streamlining Administrative Workflows
During a recent pilot, an AI Quests student team worked with administrative staff at the Carlson School of Management to automate the triage of course feedback. Using an enterprise-protected Copilot pipeline, the team cut feedback processing time by 60% while ensuring all student data remained securely within university internal data bounds.
Submit a Quest or Join a Team
Whether you are a faculty member with an AI project proposal or a student looking to build your portfolio, AI Quests provides the infrastructure, hardware, and team to bring ideas to life.
