{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/uci-launches-write-ai-center-with-10-million-federal-grant","json":"https://digestai.news/story/uci-launches-write-ai-center-with-10-million-federal-grant.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/uci-launches-write-ai-center-with-10-million-federal-grant.md","slug":"uci-launches-write-ai-center-with-10-million-federal-grant","headline":"UCI launches WRITE AI Center with $10 million federal grant","summary":"The University of California, Irvine’s School of Education has started the National Center for Writing Research to Improve Teaching Effectiveness with Generative AI, called the WRITE AI Center, after receiving a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Over the next five years the center will develop evidence‑based methods for using AI in college writing courses and create resources for educators and students.\n\nDirector Mark Warschauer, who also leads UCI’s Digital Learning Lab, outlined two major studies. The first is a nationwide survey and case‑study to map current AI tool usage in writing instruction. The second is a randomized controlled trial that will involve 50 instructors—25 using an AI‑infused curriculum with the PapyrusAI platform and 25 continuing business‑as‑usual—across 60 classes and more than 1,000 community‑college students in three states. Partners include the nonprofit MDRC, California Community Colleges’ Digital Center for Innovation, the Virginia Community College System and Houston City College. The research aims to determine whether AI can improve writing skills, confidence, AI literacy and student outcomes while preserving critical thinking abilities.","keyPoints":["UCI received a $10 million federal grant to fund the five‑year WRITE AI Center.","A randomized controlled trial will involve 50 instructors, 60 classes and over 1,000 community‑college students across three states.","PapyrusAI, a UCI‑developed platform, will be used to compare AI‑infused curriculum with traditional instruction."],"whyItMatters":"The study is the first large‑scale, federally funded experiment on generative AI in college writing, and its results could shape how institutions adopt AI tools for education.","category":{"slug":"research","name":"Research","url":"https://digestai.news/category/research"},"entities":{"companies":["MDRC"],"models":[],"people":["Mark Warschauer","Tamara Tate"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-09-20T06:14:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-20T06:14:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"ocregister.com","title":"Can AI help college students become better writers? A first-of-its-kind research center at UC Irvine is set to find out","url":"https://ocregister.com/2026/09/20/can-ai-help-college-students-become-better-writers-a-first-of-its-kind-research-center-at-uc-irvine-is-set-to-find-out","publishedAt":"2026-09-20T06:14:00Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"UCI launches WRITE AI Center with $10 million federal grant\", 20 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/uci-launches-write-ai-center-with-10-million-federal-grant","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"UCI launches WRITE AI Center with $10 million federal grant","datePublished":"2026-09-20T06:14:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/uci-launches-write-ai-center-with-10-million-federal-grant"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}