What The Text is About
EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit that aims to advance higher education through the use of information technology, conducted a study, which summarizes current sentiments and experiences related to strategy and leadership, policies and guidelines, use cases, the higher education workforce, and the institutional digital divide. Based on the findings, we share key trends on these topics in relation to artificial intelligence (AI)
2025 EDUCAUSE AI Landscape Study: Into the Digital AI Divide
In EDUCAUSE's 2025 AI Landscape Study: Into the Digital AI Divide, the research investigates current AI sentiment and experiences within academia, utilizing responses from 788 professionals across higher education institutions. This study delves into key areas such as use cases, strategy, and existing policies.
Drawing on participants' insights, we will outline AI usage and the sentiments surrounding policies and the future landscape.
01 AIs already rampant use
AI is being utilized by faculty, staff, and students across various functional areas within institutions. The adoption of AI varies among different stakeholder groups. Notably, student adoption of AI has been a significant concern and strategic focus throughout this report. A majority of respondents indicated that students primarily use AI for solving problems (69%), proofreading and editing their work (67%), summarizing content such as lecture notes and articles (61%), brainstorming (55%), and generating images or audio (54%).

On the faculty and staff side of things, over 80% of respondents reported they are already using AI for at least one work-related task. At the top of the list of AI uses are summarizing content (74%) and brainstorming or ideating on work challenges (71%). By understanding which tasks benefit most from AI assistance, institutions can better allocate resources, improve efficiency, and enhance productivity among faculty and staff. This information can also guide future investments in AI technologies to support educational goals.

02 More policies and training essential
Attitudes toward AI seem to be improving in comparing and contrasting EDUCAUSE’s 2024 report to 2025, there’s a marked increase in enthusiasm for AI and a slight decrease in apprehensive attitudes from respondents.

Leaders are still grappling with how to strategize around AI in their institutions. More than half of responding institutions have some areas where they are working on AI-related strategy, but there is currently no institution-wide approach. Only 11% of respondents noted that there is no AI-related strategy at their institution.

This is particularly noteworthy as AI is transforming numerous facets of higher education. From administrative tasks to personalized learning experiences, AI's influence is pervasive. Consequently, the policies impacted by AI are extensive and wide-ranging, necessitating careful consideration and adaptation to ensure they effectively address the evolving landscape of academia.

Campuses are adopting a human-centric approach to AI strategy. With AI being ubiquitous and easily accessible, the focus is on supporting and managing the human aspects of AI integration and less so on the actual tools themselves.

Risks and Opportunities
AI presents both promising opportunities and potential concerns. The concerns about AI seem to be very consistent. Ninety one percent (91%) of respondents said they are concerned about increased misinformation, 90% are concerned about use of data without consent, and 88% have concerns about the inability to evaluate AI-generated content. Of the 22 areas of concern that were brought up, more than three quarters of respondents said they were at least “somewhat” concerned about 18 of them.

Looking ahead to the next two years, respondents generally held an optimistic view of AI's impact on higher education. They were particularly positive about AI's potential to enhance learning analytics and improve accessibility for those with disabilities. However, there were concerns about student increase in dependency on AI as well as an increase in academic dishonesty.

These trends highlight the need for policy to help mitigate unethical uses of AI that are of a concern to many respondents. Developing AI governance, conducting additional trainings for faculty, staff, and students, and conducting risk assessments are just some of the ways institutions can mitigate AI-related risks.
Inspiring resources for faculty:
- Read UMass Amherst IDEAS webpage where we published a video about how AI impacts your classroom
- The University of Michigan reports how students use AI