On Wednesday, ACE brought together policymakers, educators, and higher education experts for a Capitol Hill briefing to discuss the growing impact of AI on postsecondary education. The event highlighted how AI is transforming college campuses and how it can support both students and institutions in the future.The discussion, moderated by ACE’s Hironao Okahana, assistant vice president and executive director, Education Futures Lab, featured a panel of experts, including Patricia Petrowski, associate vice president and deputy general counsel at the University of Michigan; Tristan Denley, deputy commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation at the Louisiana Board of Regents; and Derrick Anderson, ACE’s senior vice president of Education Futures.
The panel emphasized that AI is already employed on campuses to help predict academic success and improve student support services, among many other uses. “AI can help us anticipate when students may struggle or when they need support, allowing us to intervene earlier and more effectively,” Petrowski explained. She also noted that 95 percent of students at the University of Michigan have used AI in their coursework, though many are seeking more training and clearer guidelines, which the university has committed to providing.
Policymakers and higher education experts gather at a Capitol Hill briefing to discuss the growing impact of AI on postsecondary education.
Denley highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionize learning by offering individualized instruction and real-time feedback. “AI has become incredibly accessible and is set to change the face of education,” he said. He described how AI tools are being used to develop work-based learning degrees and how AI could serve as an asset in providing personalized learning experiences.
ACE’s Derrick Anderson noted earlier skepticism about AI’s role in education. “I remember the days of pessimism and doomsday predictions about AI, but I truly believe in its power to support student success,” he said. “Universities are stepping up to leverage this technology to serve the public’s interest. They aren’t waiting for laws or appropriations; they’re moving forward now.”
While challenges like equitable access to AI tools remain, the panel agreed that AI’s ongoing evolution presents significant opportunities for positive change in higher education, and while it’s integration into the sector will take time, the benefits are clear.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sponsored the room for the briefing, which followed a
white paper issued by Sen. Cassidy and the committee and a
letter by ACE in September 2023.