We need to search for good sets of digital tools, rules, and social norms that advance the university’s mission. This is (formally) a complex problem. To avoid getting stuck on a low-lying plateau, we must learn from a robust ensemble of different experiments and approaches.

Project ARCH – AI Rollout Collaboration Hub – provides a clearing house for data and digital tools. Universities, departments, and academic collaborations can access free and highly customizable digital tools. These tools collect data in standardized ways, which academic leaders control and can choose to share with researchers from like-minded organizations.

The goal is two-fold. First Project ARCH works to empower academic leaders to take more control of the digital tools that support their collaborations, inquiries, and instruction. Second, we work to encourage cross-institution exchanges of insights, innovations, and data (with IRB approval).

ARCH’s architectural philosophy is based on a “chassis” or orchestration layer. The idea is to offer a platform which can seamlessly integrate and orchestrate the deployment of AI and other digital tools from both commercial and academic providers.

Project ARCH is an Applied Project at the Santa Fe Institute, a 501.c.3 non-profit, independent, research institute dedicated to understanding complex systems. Software developed under Project ARCH will be released as open source.