Insights into AI’s Transformative Role in Higher Education: WCET’s 2025 Survey

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant possibility on the higher education horizon. It’s here. And it is reshaping how institutions operate, teach, and support learners (in fact, I’d say it is changing the way most places operate, whether they’re ready for it or not). Since WCET’s first AI survey in 2023, the pace of experimentation and adoption has accelerated dramatically. It’s two years later, and now we see both growing momentum and innovation in how AI is used, and also pressing challenges: institutions are testing new ways to improve efficiency, personalize learning, and guide policy development, all while grappling with issues of ethics, equity, and sustainability.

To capture these shifts, WCET turned to trusted colleague and friend Judith Sebesta, to lead in updating the survey and report. This year’s survey and accompanying report offer a timely look at where colleges and universities stand with AI in 2025. With insights from over 200 institutions plus expert interviews, the findings reveal how campuses are moving from curiosity and concern to strategy and from experimentation to large-scale planning. Whether you’re already piloting AI initiatives or just beginning to ask the big questions, we hope this research provides valuable guidance and sparks meaningful conversation across the higher education digital learning community.

Enjoy the read,
– Lindsey Downs, WCET

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of higher education, offering profound opportunities alongside complex challenges institutions must address. Since the widespread adoption of generative AI tools in late 2022, higher education institutions have entered a period of rapid experimentation and transformation. Initially, concerns about academic integrity dominated discussions, but institutions quickly recognized AI’s broader potential. From streamlining student services to enhancing personalized learning and improving operational efficiency, AI is now widely seen as a catalyst for campus innovation, though skeptics remain.

To provide insight into those opportunities and challenges, a new WCET report offers a detailed look at how colleges and universities are approaching artificial intelligence (AI) in governance, operations, and teaching and learning. Supporting Governance, Operations, and Instruction and Learning through Artificial Intelligence: A Survey of Institutional Practices and Policies 2025 provides a comprehensive snapshot of how colleges and universities are integrating AI across campus. With insights from 224 survey responses and interviews with seven higher education professionals, the report highlights the current state of AI adoption; support, incentives, and training; policies and guidelines; AI’s benefits and challenges; and predictions and recommendations for the future. ​

Key Findings

AI Use: A Focus on Instruction and Learning

The 2025 WCET survey, its second after the first in 2023, reveals that most institutions are still in the early stages of AI integration. The majority have deployed AI within the last two years, most commonly for instruction and learning. However, survey data suggest that its use to support operations and governance is growing. AI is primarily used to enhance efficiency and productivity for academic tasks, such as content creation, editing, and curriculum development. For institutions not using AI, a primary reason is the lack of knowledge among administrators, staff, and especially faculty.

Support, Training, and Incentives: Building AI Literacy ​

Key support strategies for responsible and effective AI use focus on:

• ethical guidelines,
• general policy development, and,
• faculty training.

Workshops and webinars are the most common forms of professional development for faculty, administrators, and staff. student training remains limited, with nearly one-third of institutions offering no AI-related education to their learners. ​This gap is concerning, given the growing importance of AI skills in the workforce. ​

Faculty champions and dedicated AI task forces and committees are driving AI integration across campuses. ​These support structures are essential for fostering a culture of experimentation and collaboration. ​Incentives, such as public recognition, certification, and stipends, are also being used to encourage AI adoption. However, while a majority of institutions do not offer incentives to encourage AI use, there has been an increase since the previous survey in institutions that do, particularly at larger, well-resourced institutions. ​

The Role of Policies and Guidelines

A large majority of surveyed institutions either have existing AI policies or are developing them, a significant increase since WCET’s 2023 AI survey. Academic integrity and plagiarism policies are the most common, reflecting ongoing concerns about student misuse of AI tools. ​However, some institutions are opting for more flexible guidelines and frameworks to address the rapidly evolving nature of AI technologies.

Institutions are also beginning to explore policies related to ethical and responsible AI use, data security, and instructional applications. ​The report emphasizes the importance of aligning these policies with institutional goals and involving diverse stakeholders, including students, in their development. ​

Challenges and Benefits

The report identifies several obstacles to AI adoption, with the most significant being insufficient knowledge among faculty and staff. ​Distrust and skepticism toward AI technologies also persist, alongside ethical concerns, resistance to change, and worries about academic integrity. ​These challenges highlight the importance of robust training programs and clear guidelines to address knowledge gaps and build trust. ​

Environmental concerns are emerging as a new challenge, reflecting growing awareness of AI’s resource-intensive nature. ​Institutions are beginning to grapple with the ethical implications of AI’s environmental footprint, including its impact on water and energy consumption. ​

Despite these challenges, AI offers numerous benefits. ​While “teaching critical digital skills” was the top benefit of AI in 2023, “efficiency” is now the most frequent benefit, reflecting a focus on practical AI applications.​ AI is also being used to improve student outcomes and provide personalized learning experiences.

Innovative applications of AI are emerging across campuses. ​For example, Northern Virginia Community College is using AI to evaluate transcripts, reducing processing times from weeks to days. Similarly, Metropolitan State University of Denver is deploying AI as a collaborative tool for teams, enhancing productivity and creativity. ​

Predictions for the Future ​

The report includes intriguing predictions from interviewees about AI’s future in higher education. ​One envisions AI-powered personal assistants that follow students throughout their educational journey, providing tailored advice, tutoring, and support. ​These assistants/agents could revolutionize student services, making education more personalized and accessible. ​

AI is also expected to transform assessment practices, shifting the focus from final products to the learning process itself. ​By analyzing students’ interactions with AI tools, educators can gain deeper insights into their learning experiences and critical thinking skills. We may see a premium on the spoken word over the written, and a shift from valuing degrees to valuing skills.

However, concerns about the digital divide and the potential obsolescence of traditional degree programs remain. ​As AI reshapes the job market, institutions must ensure equitable access to AI technologies and prepare students for a future where skill sets may outweigh formal credentials. ​

Recommendations for Institutions ​

Based on the survey findings, the report offers ten actionable recommendations for higher education institutions (with more information on each in the report itself):

1. Develop Comprehensive Policies and/or Guidelines.
2. Invest in AI Literacy and Fluency Training.
3. Establish Support Structures.
4. Offer Incentives.
5. Coordinate AI Use Across Curricula.
6. Address Challenges Proactively.
7. Promote Ethical and Equitable Use.
8. Expand Student Training.
9. Leverage AI for Operational Efficiency.
10. Encourage Experimentation​.

A Call to Action: Let’s Move from Insight to Opportunity

The 2025 WCET survey findings underscore that ignoring AI is no longer a viable strategy for higher education institutions. ​As AI becomes increasingly ubiquitous, colleges and universities must mitigate its challenges while maximizing its benefits. ​By investing in training, developing clear policies, and fostering a culture of experimentation, institutions can harness AI to enhance their core missions, transforming higher education in the process.

Looking ahead, the success of AI integration will depend on proactive strategies that prioritize ethical considerations, equity, and sustainability. ​Higher education stands at a critical juncture, and the insights from the report provide a roadmap for building a future where AI augments, rather than disrupts, the human-centered mission of learning. ​

WCET looks forward to helping its member institutions build that future.

This post was written by Judith Sebesta

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