Welcome to my new Blog Series "Beyond Future-Gazing: A Now-ist Approach to Higher Ed Innovation". This will be a practical exploration of how higher education leaders can drive innovation by focusing on immediate action rather than distant possibilities. Join me Mondays and Thursdays in January and February.
As we leap into 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) has firmly transitioned from an experimental tool to a purposeful force reshaping industries, including higher education. What was once a novelty—chatbots crafting quirky poems or predictive text suggesting the next word in your sentence—has now matured into solutions addressing pressing challenges and unlocking new opportunities. For higher education leaders, AI enthusiasts, and those just starting their journey, this shift marks a pivotal moment to harness AI for strategic, meaningful outcomes.
From Novelty to Necessity
In its early stages, AI dazzled us with playful applications. Faculty explored AI-powered tools like DALL-E and Midjourney to generate creative teaching aids, and students used ChatGPT to brainstorm essay ideas. While engaging, these applications often lacked a deeper strategic intent. In 2025, the focus has shifted to integrating AI into purposeful initiatives that align with institutional goals.
Take advising as an example. Many colleges now use AI-powered platforms like ReUp Education to re-engage stopped-out students. These systems analyze millions of data points to identify which students are most likely to return and what support they need to succeed. What was once a scattershot process has become data-informed and highly effective, increasing retention and graduation rates.
Purpose-Driven AI in Action
Purposeful AI doesn’t just address immediate challenges; it builds capacity for the future. Consider faculty workload—a long-standing issue in higher education. AI tools like Gradescope and Packback reduce grading time by analyzing patterns in student responses and providing targeted feedback. This frees up faculty to focus on mentoring, curriculum development, and research, rather than being bogged down by administrative tasks.
In career services, AI-driven platforms like Handshake or LinkedIn Talent Insights are revolutionizing the way institutions connect students with employers. By analyzing job market trends and student skill sets, these tools create personalized pathways for career success. This purposeful use of AI aligns directly with institutional missions of student success and workforce readiness.
One exciting frontier is personalized learning. AI-driven platforms like Squirrel AI are creating adaptive learning experiences tailored to individual students’ strengths and challenges. Imagine a world where every student has a “virtual tutor” capable of adjusting its teaching style in real time—a game-changer for accessibility and equity.
Building AI Literacy
For AI to truly move from play to purpose, higher education leaders must prioritize AI literacy. This isn’t about turning every faculty member into a coder but about fostering a shared understanding of AI’s capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations.
For instance, institutions can host workshops where faculty and staff learn to use tools like ChatGPT or Bard for administrative efficiency, such as drafting reports or generating communications. At the same time, AI literacy initiatives should include conversations about ethical implications, like ensuring equitable access to AI-driven resources or addressing biases in algorithms.
Building Institutional AI Capacity
Success with AI requires more than just implementing tools—it demands building institutional capacity for effective adoption. This includes:
Developing comprehensive AI literacy programs that encompass both technical understanding and ethical considerations:
Creating clear governance frameworks for AI implementation
Ensuring equitable access to AI resources across the institution
Establishing metrics for measuring AI's impact on institutional goals
The Road Ahead: AI as a Strategic Asset
The future of AI in higher education lies not in isolated applications but in comprehensive, mission-aligned solutions. Emerging technologies like adaptive learning platforms are already demonstrating the potential for truly personalized education at scale. These systems analyze learning patterns in real-time, adjusting content delivery and difficulty levels to optimize student engagement and comprehension.
A Call to Action
For higher education leaders, the imperative is clear: AI must transition from an interesting technology to a strategic asset.
This requires:
Developing clear AI strategies aligned with institutional goals
Investing in infrastructure and training to support AI adoption
Creating frameworks for measuring and optimizing AI's impact
Ensuring ethical considerations guide all AI implementations
The institutions that will thrive in this new era are those that approach AI not as a technological novelty but as a fundamental tool for advancing their educational mission. The time for experimental AI has passed—we've entered the age of purposeful implementation. The key to AI’s future lies in thoughtful, intentional adoption. In 2025 and beyond, higher education leaders must ask: How can AI advance our mission? Where can it enhance human connection, not replace it?
