5 Use Cases for Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

Cut through the noise and learn where AI can have a real impact on colleges and universities.

Alexandra Shimalla is a freelance journalist and higher education writer.

The concept of artificial intelligence is hardly new, but the full range of opportunities that exist are just being discovered. In the higher education world, colleges and universities are starting to dabble with AI projects, such as chatbots or aids for incoming students.

The age of AI is burgeoning, ushering advancements in many fields, so it’s important that any institutions interested in incorporating this technology consider the rules and regulations around it.

Five Ways Higher Education Institutions Use Artificial Intelligence

1. Chatbots

Considering the prevalence of online shopping and the popularity of industry leaders such as Amazon, people are familiar with the concept of online chat features that help customers quickly solve issues. These chatbots are equipped with the latest AI, allowing for faster response time and quicker solutions. And the expectation of communicating with a chatbot to find information easily has started to enter higher education.

LEARN MORE: Innovators such as NetApp are guiding higher ed institutions on their AI journeys.

Some colleges and universities are now incorporating these features into their own websites and chatbots, so current and prospective students, curious parents and alumni can easily find the information they’re looking for. Stanford University even has a version of a chatbot that acts as digital flashcards for students, quizzing them on material for upcoming tests.

“We’re seeing a lot of benefits out of chatbots,” says Bob Burwell, CTO for state and local government and education at NetApp, which offers toolkits for customers to create these chatbots.

2. Recruitment

In 2018, researchers at Georgia State University tested a theory: Could they increase student enrollment by helping students along the final stretch between acceptance and starting classes? Even after students are accepted to the university, they still need to complete various tasks to finalize enrollment, such as sending a final transcript, completing financial aid paperwork and getting required immunizations. The university sent text message reminders about upcoming application deadlines, using existing data to tailor prompts to each student.

It worked: The university was able to decrease the number of students who accepted but didn’t officially enroll by roughly 21%.

3. Student Engagement

The University of Michigan has created MiMaizey, a personalized AI tool in beta testing as of November 2024. MiMaizey answers students’ questions about things such as dining options and transportation and can provide information about clubs and groups on campus. The tool is also connected to the university’s learning management system; because of this connection, students can ask MiMaizey for study guides for their classes or clarify due dates.

4. Centers of Excellence

Burwell says another use case for AI is within centers of excellence, which universities create to act as beacons for how to use AI to advance research; examples include Emory University’s AI Humanity Initiative and the State University of New York’s AI Plus Institute at the University at Albany. In addition to conducting their own research, these centers also offer opportunities to educate the public and various industries about best practices. The University of Central Florida created its own initiative with the goal of fostering multidisciplinary research and collaboration between faculty from different universities.

These institutions are using these centers and initiatives to create a new generation of workers: individuals who are comfortable with AI and understand how the technology can be applied to different settings, such as business or healthcare.

You need to understand what your data footprint looks like within your environment.”

Bob Burwell CTO for State and Local Government and Education, NetApp

5. Identifying Security Risks

Burwell says that colleges and universities are applying AI to their cybersecurity measures. Given the volume of data that universities acquire, Burwell says, they can apply AI to see where attacks might be happening in real time by looking for irregularities and noting how data might be changing. With that information, IT leaders can begin to plan how to prevent cyberattacks and strengthen their existing security.

FIND OUT: Are your chatbots giving away more information than they should?

The Importance of Governance and Policies When Incorporating AI

While the future of artificial intelligence is exciting, the technology is still very much in its infancy. College and universities need to take this time to set a future precedent, Burwell says.

“You need to understand what your data footprint looks like within your environment,” says Burwell, referring to the kinds of data that higher education institutions possess, such as highly confidential student and personnel information.

Once the institution has a good idea of what data they’re working with, creating and enforcing policies around the data is critical. This governance should address what data can be used and how. Setting up a robust policy can prevent data exposure and avoid serious legal ramifications.

“You have to temper the excitement of AI with the wisdom of knowing that there are a bunch of things in this larger picture that we need to make sure we’ve got our arms wrapped around first,” Burwell says.

These policies should also unpack how far the institution is willing to go regarding the inclusion of AI. For example, when setting parameters, discuss whether students should be allowed to use it as a resource in various classes.

Partnering with a company like NetApp can alleviate some of the stress and headache of undertaking such a large project alone. The experts at NetApp help connect IT and administrative leaders to the other big players in the AI world, such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Google and Cisco.

“The first step is starting the conversation,” Burwell says.

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