- 1Apply as a nondegree student. Apply at apply.apps.asu.edu.
- 2Wait for your ASURITE. ASU Admissions will email your admission decision and your ASURITE login.
- 3Register in HDA 294. Visit class search to add this course. Register by Mar. 10 for the spring 2027 class.
Enrolling now
The Agentic Self
Build your own AI agent that represents your values, purpose and more.
EDU.FYI helps students become builders by turning their knowledge, skills and lived experience into a personal agent they own and take with them from course to career. Your data stays protected and stays with you. ASU is its first co-developer to bring safe, AI-native learning to students.
You don't have to be an ASU student to take it.
Course details
Mar. 15
Start date. Register by Mar. 10.
8
live sessions with will.i.am and prominent guests.
3
ASU course credits, plus an ASU digital credential.
3
ways to attend: Tempe, Los Angeles or online.
How to enroll
Pick the path that fits you
Questions? Email AgenticSelf@asu.edu
Which one are you?
- 1Apply as a nondegree student. Apply at apply.apps.asu.edu.
- 2Submit the tuition-reduction form. Faculty and staff are eligible for ASU tuition reduction: three credits for $25, plus fees.
- 3Register in HDA 294. Visit class search to add this course. Register by Mar. 10 for the spring 2027 class.
Elective credit, open to every major and every campus. Undergraduates add HDA 294. Graduate students add HDA 494. You'll attend and join a community of students building together.
Locations:
Tempe · Los Angeles · Online
Missed Mar. 15? Late adds need approval — email AgenticSelf@asu.edu for support.
Dates, times and course enrollment number
Three different ways to attend
Tempe
Mondays, 5:00–8:00 p.m. MST
In person, ASU Tempe campus. Room announced to enrolled students.
Los Angeles
Mondays, 5:00–8:00 p.m. Pacific
In person, FYI Campus. Room announced to enrolled students.
Online
Mondays, 5:00–8:00 p.m. MST
8:00–11:00 p.m. Eastern
Live on Zoom, from anywhere. Same instructors, same showcase.
Mark your calendar
Four dates that shape the semester.
Mon, Mar. 15Course opens in Canvas for Week 0 (onboarding)
Mon, Mar. 15First live session
TBDFinal materials due
TBDShowcase in LA
Faculty
- will.i.am
- Peter Murrieta
- Jorge Costa
- Sean Hobson
What you'll do
Learning from an artist
The Agentic Self is a hands-on course for any major, with no coding required. You choose a real community challenge from The Book of Problems and build a personal AI agent to help you tackle it. You'll learn how AI models work, decide who owns your data, and write a moral contract that sets your agent's limits. The course ends with a Showcase in Los Angeles, where students present their work to peers, partners and potential funders.
- will.i.am alternates between the Tempe campus and his LA studio
- Every week, half the students see him in person and half join by live video
- Guest lectures from leading technology innovators
will.i.am calls the ASU alliance
“Forever learning” — a way to equip students in any major with the skills they need for a world powered by AI.
“Forever learning” — a way to equip students in any major with the skills they need for a world powered by AI.
Watch
Hear it from will.i.am and last cohort's students
In the news
Read about the course
FYI.AI — will.i.am teaches The Agentic Self at ASU
FOX 10 Phoenix — will.i.am returns to teach AI at ASU
ASU News — ASU students create next-generation AI personas in new course with will.i.am
DISRUPT — will.i.am to teach ASU class to close global AI skills gap
The Wall Street Journal — Your new AI professor is the rapper from the Black Eyed Peas
Salesforce+ — AI and Humanity with will.i.am and Matthew McConaughey
AI for Good — Are we learning the right way in the age of AI?
ASU — ASU partners with FYI.AI
Questions
Quick answers
Do I have to be admitted to ASU to take this?
No. Apply as a nondegree learner — a short application, not a degree admission — and you can enroll in this one course for ASU credit. Follow path 1 above.
Can I take it entirely online?
Yes. The online sections (90300, 90304) join the same live session at 5:00 PM MST / 8:00 PM Eastern. Nondegree students taking it online apply through ASU Online's nondegree application.
What do I get at the end?
Three ASU credits on an official ASU transcript, an ASU digital credential and an agent you own and keep building.
What if I miss the Oct. 15 deadline?
Email AgenticSelf@asu.edu. Adds after Oct. 15 need approval from the Herberger Institute. We can't promise you'll be admitted, but we'll tell you quickly. Otherwise, join us in Spring.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. You build on the FYI.AI platform with guidance each week. Curiosity and a real problem matter more than a technical background.
Which application level and campus do I choose — and can I change it?
Level: It depends on your education, not the class. No completed bachelor's degree → apply Nondegree Undergraduate. Completed bachelor's → apply Nondegree Graduate, which lets you take either HDA 294 or HDA 494.
Term and campus: Choose carefully — they can't be changed after you submit. If you need to fix anything before submitting, edit your existing application rather than starting a new one. Duplicate applications can trigger extra fees and delays. To log back in, use the email you started with as your username (there's a password reset on the login page).
Fees and tuition: The application fee is set by the college you apply through. Tuition is based on your admit type — undergraduate or graduate — not the specific class.
HDA 294 vs. HDA 494 — what's the difference?
The course content is the same. The 400-level version (HDA 494) exists for students who want the credit to count as a graduate-level elective toward a full degree program, now or in the future.
Where do I find my Application ID and ASU ID?
They're two different numbers, issued at different points.
Application ID — 7 digits, in the upper-left corner of the application page while you're filling it out.
ASU ID — 10 digits plus your ASURITE username, created and emailed to you after you submit.
Still not sure which path is yours?
Email AgenticSelf@asu.edu