will.i.am To Teach AI Agentic Course At Arizona State University
will.i.am is set to teach a 15-week AI course titled “The Agentic Self” in January 2026. The course will be taught at Arizona State University (ASU), a school focused on increasing the digital fluency of the next generation of learners.
“This professorship marks a new chapter in my life,” will.i.am said in a press release. “From creating global unifying music to establishing my i.am Angel Foundation, which empowers 15,000 Los Angeles area high school students with STEM skills and sends thousands to college, I find the answer to my question ‘Where’s the love?’ in this course. The Agentic Self represents a solution to AI replacing human jobs.”
will.i.am teaching AI
ASU was recently named the most innovative university for 11 straight years by US News & World Report, making it the perfect fit for will.i.am’s AI course. The partnership will be the first of several collaborations between ASU and the musician.
The collaboration will create new capabilities centered on education, in addition to will.i.am’s FYI.AI creative productivity tool creating EDU.FYI, a new platform using NVIDIA technology. The platform will be specifically designed for educational purposes and student life activities, providing ASU teachers and students with the advanced skills they need to utilize AI, build AI agents, and collaborate with peers as they embark on their educational journey.
During the course, students will learn the necessary AI knowledge and skills that can be used across all disciplines. Students will also work with will.i.am to build an AI universal learning companion, which they can edit and keep with them throughout their careers.
will.i.am promoting AI
Black Eyed Peas frontman and tech entrepreneur will.i.am is the founder of the FYI.AI app, an AI-powered communications and productivity platform that aims to foster creativity and provide interactive experiences.
One of its key features is RAiDiO.FYI, a free AI-powered set of interactive radio stations focused on topics like sports, pop culture, and politics. RAiDiO.FYI uses OpenAI’s language models to create a unique experience where listeners can ask questions, request songs, and get news updates from an AI DJ.
In 2024, the musician and Mercedes-Benz launched MBUX Sound Drive – a new technology linking drivers’ music to how they drive. MBUX Sound Drive interprets various driving dynamics – such as recuperation, acceleration, steering, and braking – and converts them into musical expressions.
Image: Samantha Chow/Arizona State University
