What does the rise of generative AI mean for the future of a college degree? That's the question at the center of a new research brief from The Chronicle of Higher Education, conducted with support from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ.
The report surveyed more than 800 college administrators and faculty members across the country to understand how institutions are reckoning with AI — and the findings reveal a sector that's deeply uncertain about where it's headed.
Higher ed is paying attention — but not yet acting
More than 70% of respondents say AI is forcing them to reconsider the value colleges offer students. Yet only 24% say their institution is actively reshaping programs in response. The majority are still in discussion mode, and 27% have no clear AI strategy at all.
The stakes feel real. That same 70% are worried that AI will reduce the perceived value of a traditional college degree — driven largely by concerns about AI-enabled cheating and whether a diploma still signals genuine learning and capability.
A campus divided
One of the most striking findings is how differently administrators and faculty see the moment. Administrators are focused on institutional strategy and efficiency; faculty are more concerned about protecting academic autonomy and human-centered learning. While 71% of college officials say they're actively discussing or reshaping AI strategy, only 57% of faculty say the same.
The divide shows up in how each group defines responsibility too. Administrators are nearly twice as likely as faculty to say preparing students for an AI-driven workforce is faculty's primary job. Faculty, meanwhile, are more likely to say their main role is preserving human-centered learning.
The workforce pressure is real
83% of respondents believe employers will demand AI literacy from job applicants within five years. At the same time, many experts caution against simply adding AI skills to the curriculum — the technology moves too fast for any fixed course content to keep pace. The deeper argument for college remains what it always has been: developing the judgment, communication skills, and collaborative instincts that no tool can replace.
What comes next
The report points to a clear set of likely shifts: updating faculty training, revising general education curricula, forming new employer and ed-tech partnerships, and rethinking degree requirements and credentials. A growing number of institutions are also exploring shorter, skills-focused programs and microcredentials as alternatives to the traditional four-year path.
The road forward requires administrators and faculty working together — not past each other. As DePaul University president Robert L. Manuel put it in the report: AI is an opportunity to develop higher education's capabilities together, as long as institutions don't let it roll over them.
Read the report
Read the full research brief — including all survey data, expert perspectives, and analysis of how AI is reshaping the college value proposition.
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