Behind the prompt: How ASU builds the AI story — and how you can too

Everyone wants to tell a great AI story. But where do you actually start and how do you keep it going when the technology (and the headlines) change every week? This session takes you behind the scenes of Arizona State University's AI communications engine — the team, the strategy and the (sometimes messy) creative process behind a multi-year storytelling initiative that has earned national recognition, including back-to-back industry awards. From The AI Journey publication series and Carpool Convos (yes, we put our CIO in a Waymo) to the Voices of Innovation interview series and serving as the communications team for the first-ever Agentic AI and Student Experience Conference, you'll see how one higher ed team turned a complex, fast-moving topic into a cohesive campus narrative — one story at a time. But this isn't just a highlight reel. We'll unpack the practical framework behind the work: how to identify stories worth telling, how to align AI narratives with institutional brand and mission, and how to scale storytelling across teams without losing your voice (or your mind). You'll also get a candid look at what didn't work, what we'd do differently and what keeps us up at night. Whether you're just starting to explore how to communicate AI on your campus or you're deep in the work and looking for new ideas, this session gives you a front-row seat to a model that's replicable, scalable and most importantly human. (Waymo ride not included.)