The University of Montana’s signature artificial intelligence initiative, the Future Project, landed a prestigious 2026 CIO 100 Award, recognizing excellence in enterprise-scale technology leadership and innovation.
“This recognition underscores the University of Montana’s thoughtful and forward-looking approach to AI,” said Zach Rossmiller, UM’s chief information officer. “The Future Project is about more than adopting new tools – it’s about supporting our faculty, staff and students as we explore the promise and possibilities of a new technological frontier, while keeping human values at the center.”
Founded in 2025, the Future Project guides UM in a reimagination of how to teach, what to teach and how to work in an era shaped by generative AI. Grounded in community and academic values, the initiative brings the entire campus community together to ensure the University’s AI strategy serves the humans of higher education.
The Future Project guides the campus community’s understanding how generative AI is transforming higher education, student learning, the future of work and Montana’s broader workforce. Launched with support from Montana-based company Craton, the project brings together more than 55 individual coordinators from across campus, ensuring that the AI strategy reflects the full breadth of the campus community.
The CIO 100 Awards honor organizations that demonstrate exceptional ability to translate technology strategy into measurable organizational impact. As a new recipient, UM joins an elite group of public- and private-sector leaders whose initiatives drive innovation, operational efficiency and long-term value.
By: UM News Service
