Can artificial intelligence help "normalize" discussions about abortion, racism, immigration, or Israel-Palestine? Columbia University hopes so!
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According to information from The Verge, the university recently began testing Sway, an AI-powered discussion program currently in beta. Developed by two researchers at Carnegie Mellon University , it pairs students with opposing viewpoints to chat one-on-one about hot topics and “facilitates better conversations between them,” according to the tool’s website.
Nicholas DiBella, a postdoctoral researcher at CMU who helped develop Sway, told The Verge that about 3,000 students from more than 30 colleges and universities have used the tool. News of the potential partnership comes after more than two years of rising tensions at Columbia between students, administrators, and the federal government. The university has spent years at the center of controversy after controversy: expulsions of pro-Palestinian student protesters, a series of police raids, and demands from the federal government.
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Teachers College at Columbia is testing Sway with the goal of integrating it into its conflict resolution curriculum and “bridge initiatives at Columbia,” DiBella said. He added that there is also interest from other groups at Columbia to use Sway for the fall 2026 semester and beyond. Simon Cullen, an assistant professor at CMU and the other creator of Sway, said the company is also in touch with Columbia University Life.
Sway places an “AI Guide” in each conversation that “asks tough questions to improve students’ reasoning.” The tool also “suggests a rewording” for language that is considered offensive. An example of a discussion topic featured in Sway’s introductory video: whether the U.S. “should prioritize Palestinian rights and stop sending weapons to Israel.”
Columbia is making sweeping changes as part of a $200 million deal with the Trump administration intended to combat anti-Semitism on campus — a deal that restores Columbia’s access to up to $1.3 billion in federal funding. The school must provide massive amounts of data to the Trump administration, enforce “strict rules against disruptive protests,” and “enhance oversight of international students.”
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And what’s more, Columbia has said it will commit to working with organizations to “create constructive dialogue” on campus. It’s possible that the potential partnership with Sway AI falls into that category for Columbia. It’s one example of many when it comes to the university throwing money at student disputes in an effort to resolve issues without friction, according to Columbia sources.
