#genAI #community > [!summary]+ Summary > This page describes the background, timeline, purpose, and outcome of a staff group I pulled together to help lead transformation in the thoughts and use of genAI in work at GWU Libraries and Academic Innovation (LAI). # genAI Staff Working Group As an extension of my efforts to address generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) literacy among faculty, I also sought to collaborate with staff colleagues. Much like the faculty community, staff across GWU expressed a wide range of reactions. Some were eager to explore how genAI might strengthen their work, while many others preferred to maintain long-established approaches. This reluctance was often due to uncertainty about institutional direction, potential implications for their roles, and even faculty (i.e. client) direction. In late 2023, I spoke about the growing relevance of genAI for learning design and media production to a cross-university group of Instructional Designers, Multimedia Producers, and Educational Developers (see: 2023, [[2023, genAI Staff Design Partners]]). Drawing on my experience outside of higher education, it was clear to me that genAI would become a major force in shaping educational practice and creative work. I wanted to go beyond this conversation, though, and create something that could help staff colleagues consider where thoughtful application of genAI might be both necessary and beneficial. First, I launched the [[genAI Faculty Advisory Council]] in early 2024 as a space for faculty leadership and collaboration. Then in summer 2024, I began networking with staff colleagues to gather a broad range of expertise within the central library. The goal was to form a working group that could help library staff explore ways to evolve workflows and professional practice in partnership with genAI. ## Establishment timeline Throughout 2023, I engaged in conversations with librarians, Instructional Designers, Multimedia Producers, and Educational Developers across GWU to better understand how staff were thinking about genAI. These discussions reflected a wide spectrum of viewpoints. Some were client-/faculty-facing, and some were not. But thoughts widely varied and included curiosity in applications, enthusiasm for possibilities, hesitation rooted in uncertainty, and questions about institutional direction. By summer 2024, I had identified a group of colleagues who were interested in exploring how genAI might reshape work and contribute to faculty partnerships. Following a series of Zoom conversations and emails, I brought together six staff members from different units in the library to form the initial genAI Staff Working Group. Each participant was an active user of genAI tools, was engaged in faculty-facing work, and was motivated to help colleagues build confidence and capability in this emerging area. ## Purpose and objectives The working group was created to bring together faculty-facing staff who were actively thinking about how generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) might reshape their work, faculty partnerships, and library services. The goal was to identify ways that genAI might be used to drive innovation, solve various problems, and possibly create new practices. Members came from different units, had different problems, and served different areas of the university. While institutional direction was developing, the group outlined a series of shared intentions: 1. **Support colleagues in identifying opportunities to partner with genAI** — help staff build confidence, experiment thoughtfully, and see where genAI might enhance existing workflows. 2. **Help address barriers and concerns** — provide space to discuss uncertainty, hesitations, and organizational questions in a constructive way. 3. **Connect the library to external conversations** — bring forward examples and practices emerging from other universities and industry contexts. 4. **Learn, share, and build practice together —** explore tools collaboratively, strengthen skills through peer learning, and identify meaningful, real-world applications. ## Results Despite strong interest among participating staff and the momentum generated in forming the working group, the effort met only a few times and was unable to formally launch collaborative projects. Shortly after we started new leadership priorities emerged. This shifted emphasis away from genAI in favor of traditional approaches to teaching and learning. While the working group did not progress into a sustained initiative, the process of convening participants and elevating conversation helped surface valuable staff perspectives and highlighted ongoing interest in a future of work with genAI.