Faculty and administrators are using AI professionally and personally at over double the rate from last year, and 93% expect to use it more over the next two years, asserts a new report from Ellucian. However, concerns surrounding data privacy and bias are increasing as well.
The higher education technology solutions provider surveyed 445 faculty and administrators from more than 330 institutions across the U.S. and Canada in its second annual “AI in Higher Education Survey” to better understand how leaders perceive its value.
Only 15%—less than Ellucian expected—stated they were not using the tool. Eight in 10 higher education administrators expect AI to improve efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, executive leaders were the most optimistic of all professionals when asked about AI’s benefits.
The departments using AI the most frequently are:
- External affairs (advancement, alumni relations, marketing): 77%
- Data and analytics (institutional research and business intelligence): 63%
- Executive leadership (presidents, chancellors, vice presidents): 62%
Predictive analytics is the most popular AI function: large majorities believe analytics can help with enrollment, student success, advancement and fundraising. Respondents were also highly optimistic about AI’s ability to create marketing materials, optimize course scheduling and align curricula to workforce needs.
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Student affairs leaders reported using AI the least among all surveyed business units though nearly a quarter (24%) indicated they had plans to adopt it. They believe it can improve campus data systems by deploying interventions for students at risk academically.
“As we continue to integrate AI into our systems, it’s important to remember that these technologies are tools to enhance, not replace, the critical human elements of education,” said a community college IT professional.
Concerns abound
Data security and bias aren’t new concerns surrounding AI use. Nearly 60% of higher ed respondents are concerned about privacy, up nine percentage points over last year, and nearly half (49%) are concerned about bias, a 13% increase.
Cheating continues to cloud respondents’ minds as well: 78% of administrators fear AI could harm academic integrity, and 53% worry about its effect on critical thinking.
Faculty and administrators may overcome these concerns by providing more AI training, the survey indicated. Respondents also believe AI adoption needs more funding and resources.
“Our survey findings show that while adoption is increasing, leaders are rightfully weighing AI’s benefits with careful consideration of privacy, bias, and long-term impact on student outcomes—including the potential impact on student mental health,” Laura Ipsen, Ellucian president and CEO, said in a press release.
