Over five years, the center will develop and evaluate evidence-based AI-in-writing approaches and create resources for colleges to inform AI adoption in writing instruction.

The initiative reflects a proactive stance on integrating AI in education rather than resisting it, led by researchers who are guiding the effort.

PapyrusAI, developed at UCI, is education-focused and will guide planning and revision to support personalized instruction for both students and instructors.

Two major studies are planned: a nationwide survey and case studies of current AI tool usage, plus a randomized controlled trial using PapyrusAI to compare AI-enhanced writing instruction with traditional methods across 60 classes in three states, involving more than 1,000 community college students.

The center prioritizes community colleges for their role in social mobility and will partner with MDRC, California Community Colleges’ Digital Center, the Virginia Community College System, and Houston Community College.

UC Irvine is launching the National Center for Writing Research to Improve Teaching Effectiveness with Generative AI (WRITE AI Center) with a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.

Researchers aim to determine how AI can improve student learning while preserving essential writing, critical thinking, and communication skills.

They emphasize helping students use AI responsibly and effectively to preserve core writing competencies while leveraging AI tools.

Funding for the center comes from a five-year IES grant, and UCI’s proposal was the sole award in its national competition.

The randomized controlled trial will begin in year three, with 25 treatment classes and 25 control classes, measuring writing outcomes, writing confidence, AI literacy, and persistence to subsequent courses.