Ayham Boucher is helping shape the future of artificial intelligence at Cornell. His role as the Head of AI Innovation for Cornell University and Weill Cornell Medicine combines his passion for discovery with the practical application of getting work done. 

“AI is a means to get us to our goals,” Boucher explained. "When it comes to what we can do and how we can enhance the university and its efficiency, generative AI comes in a variety of different flavors. There are opportunities for it in every domain. And while the journey between now and then might have some bumps along the way, I’m looking forward to helping make it as smooth as possible for everyone.”

In a spotlight story on the Human Resources (HR) home page, the CIT Assistant Program Director for AI described his lifelong penchant for finding the edge and pushing beyond it. These days, he is outfitting other explorers for their journeys into the development and application of new AI tools to streamline current processes and create new workflows.

“It is a blessing to be in the world of AI right now,” Boucher said. “It’s completely new, with immense opportunities to discover. There’s a lot of room for everyone to be an explorer. My community here at Cornell has expanded, and I’ve really enjoyed enabling people across campus by providing access to safe tools, training and workshops to help them use AI in their fields.” 

Learn more about Boucher and some of the AI solutions Cornell explorers have developed through the AI Innovation Lab in the HR June 2025 Staff Story and the Staff Stories YouTube video.