The AI Revolution at Bar-Ilan University: Supporting Students, Shaping the Future

How do IDF soldiers, who put their lives on hold to protect Israel, keep up with their education so they don’t fall behind?

How will future generations of students ever be able to hear firsthand accounts from Holocaust survivors — to learn from their stories, their struggles, and their resilience — once they are no longer with us?

For these challenges, and countless others, there is a powerful and transformative solution emerging: artificial intelligence (AI). AI is not just a tool; it’s a revolution that’s reshaping our world. Bar-Ilan University (BIU) is using this tool to support its students, and to prepare young Israelis to become the visionary leaders who will navigate and shape this future.

So, how is BIU using AI to stand beside its students in these incredibly difficult times?

At a time when so many students are balancing the heart-wrenching reality of defending their country with the urgent need to continue their studies, BIU is one of the first universities to introduce an AI-based learning assistant or AI tutors — a lifeline for students in crisis. This groundbreaking tool doesn’t just offer access to missed lessons; it offers hope. It connects students to a personal tutor who is available to guide them whenever they need it. If they fall behind due to missed classes, the AI assistant pulls from lectures, presentations, exams, and assignments, helping them catch up without skipping a beat.

This tool doesn’t just deliver information — it listens, it understands, and it supports students in ways they’ve never experienced before. It answers their questions, helps them navigate academic challenges, generates and reviews exams, and even engages them in an interactive dialogue between student and tutor.

But perhaps most remarkably, it offers an environment where students can ask questions without hesitation or fear of judgment. They can seek understanding in any way they need — whether it’s through examples, explanations, or practice tests — and know that no question is too small or too silly. In this world, where so many are struggling, the AI assistant ensures that every student feels seen, heard, and supported.

This tool is more than just a technological marvel — it’s a game-changer for educators. “It’s an old dream come true,” says Yuval Schreibman, head of BIU’s Learning and Teaching Division. The AI assistant doesn’t just teach; it tailors its approach to each student, offering personalized support when and how it’s needed most. “It’s teaching that learns about you, that adapts to you, that helps you exactly at the right time,” Schreibman says.

In a country where so many students are forced to juggle the unimaginable — fighting for their country and trying to continue their education — BIU’s AI assistant couldn’t have arrived at a more crucial moment. But according to Prof. Yaniv Fox of BIU’s Faculty of Humanities, the potential of this tool extends far beyond these wartime challenges.

“Integrating AI into the curriculum doesn’t just help our students today,” says Fox. “It’s giving them the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market. AI makes complex material more accessible, clearer, and personalized. Whether you’re studying physics or medieval history, it ensures that every student can engage with the content in a way that speaks to them directly.”

Meanwhile, at BIU’s Department of Computer Science, brilliant minds are pushing the boundaries of what AI can do. They’re pioneering natural language processing (NLP), a cutting-edge field that enables computers to understand and engage in human-like conversations. With NLP, AI can do more than simply analyze text; it can communicate, converse, and respond as if it were human.

For those of us familiar with the powerful capabilities of tools like ChatGPT, we already know what this technology is capable of. It can summarize, create, translate, and offer insights on any topic, all while maintaining an astonishing level of fluency and nuance. What was once science fiction is now a reality.

At BIU, the university’s commitment to AI goes beyond innovation. More than 200 courses are now offered in AI across every faculty and field of study. From humanities and medicine to business, literature, Jewish studies, environmental science, and sustainability, AI is now woven into the fabric of every discipline at BIU.

In the age of AI, the world is moving faster than ever, and the train is leaving the station. It’s up to us to jump on board. BIU is ensuring that no student is left behind — and, in doing so, it’s not only changing the lives of its students but the world itself. BIU is ensuring that none of its students are left behind — and the world will undoubtedly be better for it.