Anthropic’s new partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced today continues Dartmouth’s tradition of strong technology integration, the birthplace of artificial intelligence, and ensures that future leaders are equipped to collaborate and work with emerging technologies with purpose.
Through this partnership, which includes Anthropic’s Claude for Education model and Amazon Bedrock, students, faculty, and staff will have access to cutting-edge, secure, reliable AI models tailored specifically for academic environments. Meanwhile, Dartmouth will help partners define what the role of AI should be in education and research across the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and creative fields, as well as extracurricular activities such as career design.
“This is more than just a collaboration,” says President Xian Li Beilock. “This is the next chapter in a story that began at Dartmouth 70 years ago. We will ensure that the institution where the term AI was first introduced to the world will also show the world how to use AI wisely in the pursuit of knowledge.”
As a leading research university, Dartmouth and its faculty have long been at the forefront of AI, dating back to the Dartmouth Summer Research Project in 1956. The institution also has a rich history of connecting the latest technological innovations to teaching and learning, from the BASIC programming language and one of the earliest email systems to universal computing access and campus-wide wireless networking.
Now, Dartmouth has become the first Ivy League university to leverage Anthropic and AWS to deploy AI at an institutional scale, helping students lead the thoughtful application of AI while continuing to develop and practice uniquely human skills such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence, ethical discernment, and collaborative leadership. Teaching students to take full advantage of the usefulness of AI means ensuring that they are able to ask the right questions, critically analyze their responses, identify potential weaknesses and flaws, and integrate new information with existing knowledge. These are all characteristics of a liberal arts education.
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This is more than a collaboration. This is the next chapter in a story that began at Dartmouth 70 years ago.
These efforts are consistent with broader arguments to ensure that AI serves human dignity, responsibility, and real learning, rather than replacing it.
“We are excited to partner with Dartmouth and AWS on this. Dartmouth has always understood that technology is most powerful when combined with human wisdom and critical thinking, and that’s exactly how we built Claude,” said Daniela Amodei, president and co-founder of Anthropic. “Their focus on AI fluency and teaching students to engage deeply with difficult problems rather than avoiding them is very aligned with our mission. This is the kind of partnership that makes me truly excited about the role of AI in education.”
AI best practices for students
Dartmouth will integrate AI tools and use them to advance research, with a focus on enhancing rather than replacing student learning. We also need to be clear about when AI should not be used at all.
Educational thinkers are beginning to advocate just this kind of two-pronged approach. The idea is to create structured opportunities for students to experiment boldly with AI, while also providing space for students to demonstrate mastery without the use of digital tools.
The Faculty Leadership Group on Artificial Intelligence, which includes representatives from a wide range of fields including the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, business, and medicine, is working to define principled, evidence-based strategies for when AI can meaningfully accelerate Dartmouth’s mission and when intentional restraint is essential to protect our values and pedagogy.
“Our AI Leadership Group includes those of us who are leading the innovations that make AI a powerful tool for research and learning, and faculty who believe we must protect the value of non-AI classroom experiences,” said Adam Breuer, co-chair of the group and assistant professor of government and computer science. “This will allow us to leverage the tremendous depth of faculty expertise and broad and diverse faculty perspectives as we design a future based on the principles of AI in research and education.”
The benefits of partnership also extend to how students plan for life after graduation. Anthropic supports Dartmouth College’s Center for Career Design (DCCD). DCCD staff is already leveraging AI to help students consider individual career paths. We support several ongoing and new initiatives, including:
- Facilitate student access to AI-enhanced career coaching with Claude, including evaluating job openings using AI services. Be clear about your strengths, interests, goals, and values. Refine your resume and cover letter.
- Connect students to applied learning events through AWS Skills to Jobs, designed in partnership with employers to build industry-aligned skills.
- Work with student-led programs to build a culture of innovation and ethical use on campus and prepare you for your career. and
- Provide Dartmouth students with access to learning and networking opportunities hosted by Anthropic.
Building understanding of the responsible use of AI is key to these efforts, while also helping to develop the next generation of leaders across a variety of sectors. Claude’s customized suite of tools prioritizes understanding over shortcuts, streamlines academic work, and supports thoughtful strategic innovation in teaching and research.
“As the workplace evolves and technology accelerates change, employers are looking for people who combine technical fluency with strong communication and problem-solving skills,” said Joe Catrino, executive director of DCCD. “But beyond expertise, they prioritize individuals who can adapt quickly, collaborate effectively, and thrive in a dynamic, ever-changing environment.”
Strengthening Dartmouth Research
Numerous faculty members at Dartmouth schools are shaping the future of AI by developing its fundamentals, understanding its risks, and applying them to major advances across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, or by studying AI as a phenomenon in its own right. Their discoveries already include important achievements in medical education, energy and the environment, computational social science, cybersecurity, and mental health and well-being.
Geography professor Justin Mankin’s team uses climate models to link greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather events, while the Polarization Institute, co-founded by government professor Sean Westwood, analyzes public opinion data to study political polarization and online misinformation. Engineering professor Peter Chin’s lab develops learning algorithms and training frameworks aimed at predicting and defending against future cyberattacks.
Dartmouth College, through its Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, is a key partner in the National Science Foundation-funded AI Institute for Interactions for AI Assistants and is leading research into AI-powered devices and wearables to support digital interventions for addiction, behavioral disorders, and mental health disorders.
Through its Center for Precision Health and Artificial Intelligence, Dartmouth is also building AI tools to improve diagnostic accuracy and personalize treatment, particularly in cancer treatment.
Anthropic’s program with AWS will provide Dartmouth’s campus with AI-enhanced learning and research tools, the integration of AI capabilities within existing campus platforms, and the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge AI technologies related to research areas.
Operational benefits
Another focus of this partnership is improving organizational operations. AI-enhanced productivity will streamline administrative processes across Dartmouth, strengthen research capabilities, provide new tools for data analysis and decision-making, and give staff and faculty the option to focus on higher-value activities and personal interactions.
Dartmouth College uses Amazon Bedrock to build custom AI applications for campus operations and student services, and AWS’s digital innovation team provides direct support using a “backward” approach. Comprehensive training and support ensures community members have the best tools for their needs.
“AWS is looking forward to partnering with Anthropic to empower Dartmouth as it continues to approach AI ethically, strategically, and securely to deliver innovative student experiences and operational excellence,” said Kim Majerus, vice president of Global Education and U.S. State and Local Government at Amazon Web Services.
Underscoring Dartmouth’s commitment to responsible AI innovation, the partnership also includes comprehensive security measures. All AI implementations will adhere to strict privacy standards and academic integrity policies, in line with Dartmouth College’s existing ethical AI guidelines. The agreement is non-exclusive and makes Claude a powerful addition to other AI models that Dartmouth provides access to, such as ChatGPT and CoPilot.
President Santiago Schnell said Anthropic’s partnership with AWS comes at a critical time.
“This partnership will develop the next generation of leaders and deepen our understanding of both the potential and limitations of artificial intelligence in higher education,” Schnell said. “AI should enhance human judgment and true learning, not short-circuit it.”
“At Dartmouth, students will continue to practice the rigorous skills of analysis, writing, and problem-solving while learning to leverage AI as a willing partner in their work. The implementation of AI in higher education must enhance, not replace, the intellectual rigor and academic freedom that characterize Dartmouth.”
