Gaining Community Insight: AI Readiness in Higher Education – What Internet2 Industry Members Need to Know

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, the research and higher education (R&E) community is exploring its potential as a powerful tool for student success, administrative efficiency, faculty and staff development, and research advancements. To understand how the R&E community is approaching AI, the Center for Digital Education, in collaboration with Internet2, surveyed over 100 higher education IT leaders and decision-makers representing a broad cross-section of institutions.

The findings, captured in this AI Readiness in Higher Education market research white paper and available exclusively to Internet2 members, offer valuable insights into the barriers and strategies for AI adoption and implementation. The white paper highlights opportunities for engaging with the R&E community, closing the gap in AI adoption by offering solutions, building partnerships, and supporting the development of strategies to overcome key challenges. 

Preview Key Insights on AI Adoption and Impacts

Current State of AI Adoption: Where does the R&E community stand? 

While 91% of respondents are at least familiar with AI, and 60% listed student success as the top priority, less than half (49%) have made substantial progress in formalizing strategies or budgeting for AI initiatives. The results reveal a gap in AI governance, policy development, and budgeting within higher education. 

Partnerships and Information Sharing Matter

Survey respondents emphasized that collaborations with technology service providers, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations are critical to gaining the resources and support necessary for adopting and implementing AI. However, 44% of respondents among non-IT staff were unaware of AI-related partnerships at their universities, underscoring challenges related to organizational silos and the need for broader governance structures that include non-IT leaders and dedicated AI committees to overcome these challenges.  

Training is Essential to Success   

Training is the most pressing need for higher education looking to integrate AI effectively. Respondents stressed that faculty, staff, and students need a foundational understanding of AI to grasp its use cases and address privacy and ethical concerns. Training should also focus on prompt engineering — asking AI the right questions to get accurate and relevant responses. Continuous learning will be critical as AI advances, requiring resources to train IT staff and researchers and engage non-IT decision-makers on how AI can meet their specific needs.

Internet2 members have exclusive access to the full market research white paper, AI Readiness in Higher Education: Setting the Stage for Safe and Effective Implementation, by the Center for Digital Education. It offers detailed insights and strategies for AI adoption in higher education. Request your copy today to gain a deeper understanding of how AI is transforming the R&E community.

About the Survey:

To understand how higher education is addressing AI readiness and implementation, the Center for Digital Education, in collaboration with Internet2, surveyed 110 higher education leaders in March 2024. Educators represented the largest proportion of respondents (45%), followed by IT and non-IT leadership (25%) and administrative staff (9%). Respondents also represented a broad range of institutions, including public universities and colleges (56%), community colleges (21%), and private universities and colleges (20%). Two-thirds (66%) of respondents were affiliated with Internet2 member higher education institutions.