ASA AI Strategic Plan
The three strategic priorities
The ASA Board of Directors identified three priority domains for concentrated investment and action. Together they address what statisticians bring to AI, how the next generation is prepared to lead, and what the profession signals it values.
Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy
Launch targeted engagement and advocacy campaigns — anchored in the message that AI cannot be developed or deployed responsibly without statistical expertise — reaching policy, industry, funding, and the scientific community.
See objective & action steps →Next-Generation Talent & Education
Enable and support the preparation of undergraduate and graduate students for leadership roles in the foundational development and ethical advancement of trustworthy AI across academe, industry, and government.
See objective & action steps →Culture & Practices of Statistics
Take deliberate steps to shape the culture and practice of the statistics profession — ensuring statisticians have the skills, fluency, and professional recognition needed to engage and lead confidently at the AI frontier.
See objective & action steps →How the five domains connect
All five domains, three strategic priorities
The Board's planning session explored five domains. The themes of Data Work and Infrastructure and Engaging with AI/ML Innovations are integrated into the three priorities. They surface in the curriculum recommendations, in the advocacy campaign that positions statisticians as essential contributors to AI development, and in the professional development and culture work that equips members to engage at the technical frontier. The three priorities are not a narrowing of the conversation. They are an integration of it.
Where we are
This plan was developed through a structured Board strategic planning process in spring 2026, followed by a community comment period that received input from across the ASA membership. Read about how we got here →