Workforce disruptions caused by generative AI have some students rethinking their majors with one analysis characterizing higher education’s relationship with AI as “both promising and complex.”
Here are the stats:
- More than 40% of bachelor’s degree students and more than half of those seeking associate’s degrees said generative AI has caused them to consider changing their major or field of study, according to a new Gallup poll.
- About one in seven students surveyed at both levels said “preparing for AI and other technological advances is an important reason they enrolled.”
AI is not yet the “primary driver” academic and enrollment decisions, Gallup’s authors contend. They urge higher leaders to ensure students have opportunities to learn the AI skills needed to succeed in a changing workforce.
“These findings highlight growing student attention to how well degrees align with an AI-shaped economy,” the survey concluded.
Generative AI in a giant system
One the largest surveys of generative AI use in higher education revealed that majorities of students, faculty and staff regularly rely on the technology.
The same California State University poll also found equal levels of skepticism among all three groups. More than 94,000 people associated with the state system participated in the survey.
Most students said they would not submit AI-generated work as their own and also worry about the technology making their job searches harder.
Faculty were evenly split on whether AI is benefitting or harming teaching and research. Nearly 70% of faculty provide students with guidance on responsible AI use and include an AI statement in their syllabi.
Here are some more findings from the survey:
- AI use in the classroom: 22% of faculty discourage it, about 19% encourage it, 18% forbid it entirely, and 6% require it.
- Trust, ethics and responsibility: Nearly all faculty and students say the accuracy of AI-generated content must verified.
- Diverse prompts: Regular AI use varies by no more than five percentage points across racial and ethnic groups, and first-generation and non-first-generation students report nearly identical rates.
- Creativity and innovation? About 78% of staff respondents, 66% of faculty respondents and 60% of student respondents agree AI enhances creativity and innovation
Timely perspective: Why William Woods turned to a proven K12 veteran for its next chapter
*The image above was created with artificial intelligence.
