Higher Ed AI Survey
What Institutions Are Doing and Planning with Artificial IntelligenceOver the last several years there has been a lot of press surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. The promise of AI is a better experience for students, reduced costs and improved recruitment and admissions results.
In Fall 2021, we surveyed institutions to better understand what institutions are doing — and plan to do — with AI now and in the future.
The Results:
AI and RecruitmentThis is what the respondents told us in relation to AI and
Recruitment. They are:
Using chatbots to communicate with prospects and answer questions
- Not in use 51%
- Considering it 37%
- Some usage 10%
- A lot of usage 2%
- Don’t know 0%
Using AI to build personalized communication
- Not in use 51%
- Considering it 39%
- Some usage 7%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 2%
Using predictive modelling to identify “hot prospects”
- Not in use 41%
- Considering it 34%
- Some usage 10%
- A lot of usage 2%
- Don’t know 12%
Using AI to re-enroll students who have dropped out
- Not in use 78%
- Considering it 5%
- Some usage 2%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 15%
Using AI to “nudge” applicants to accept and put down their deposit
- Not in use 56%
- Considering it 24%
- Some usage 12%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 5%
Using AI to plan communication (across any media – text, email, social, print, etc.)
- Not in use 39%
- Considering it 22%
- Some usage 27%
- A lot of usage 2%
- Don’t know 10%
Using AI to track and analyze the student behaviour on your website
- Not in use 32%
- Considering it 34%
- Some usage 15%
- A lot of usage 2%
- Don’t know 17%
The Results:
AI and AdmissionsThis is what the respondents told us in relation to AI and
Admissions. They are:
Using AI to detect plagiarism on application essay questions
- Not in use 51%
- Considering it 0%
- Some usage 22%
- A lot of usage 2%
- Don’t know 24%
Using AI to assess students for financial aid
- Not in use 61%
- Considering it 12%
- Some usage 0%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 26%
Using AI chatbots to help students enroll in classes
- Not in use 63%
- Considering it 12%
- Some usage 7%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 17%
Using AI to assess admissions applications and score applicants
- Not in use 68%
- Considering it 12%
- Some usage 2%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 17%
Using AI to assess students for financial aid
- Not in use 61%
- Considering it 12%
- Some usage 0%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 26%
Using AI to predict enrollment by program
- Not in use 61%
- Considering it 10%
- Some usage 2%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 27%
Using AI to provide emergency financial aid
- Not in use 59%
- Considering it 7%
- Some usage 0%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 34%
The Results:
AI and Student Success/RetentionThis is what the respondents told us in relation to AI and Student Success/Retention. They are:
Using AI to identify students most at risk of dropping out
- Not in use 54%
- Considering it 10%
- Some usage 5%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 32%
Using AI to send academic warnings
- Not in use 54%
- Considering it 15%
- Some usage 7%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 24%
Using AI to help manage dropping classes
- Not in use 66%
- Considering it 7%
- Some usage 2%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 24%
Using AI to encourage student community and engagement in campus life
- Not in use 54%
- Considering it 15%
- Some usage 10%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 22%
The Results:
AI and TeachingThis is what the respondents told us in relation to AI and Teaching. They are:
Using AI for grading
- Not in use 54%
- Considering it 10%
- Some usage 5%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 32%
Using AI for proctoring
- Not in use 42%
- Considering it 5%
- Some usage 10%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 44%
Using AI to check for plagiarism
- Not in use 29%
- Considering it 2%
- Some usage 17%
- A lot of usage 7%
- Don’t know 44%
Using AI for tutoring
- Not in use 42%
- Considering it 5%
- Some usage 7%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 46%
Using AI to help hire instructors
- Not in use 46%
- Considering it 2%
- Some usage 0%
- A lot of usage 0%
- Don’t know 51%
The Results:
AI and ConcernsThis is what the respondents told us in relation to concerns surrounding AI. They are:
Concerned about algorithmic biases
- Not concerned 29%
- A little concerned 20%
- Somewhat concerned 17%
- Very concerned 17%
- Don’t know 17%
Concerned about the ethics related to AI
- Not concerned 32%
- A little concerned 27%
- Somewhat concerned 22%
- Very concerned 12%
- Don’t know 7%
Concerned about the financial costs
- Not concerned 12%
- A little concerned 15%
- Somewhat concerned 24%
- Very concerned 34%
- Don’t know 15%
Concerned about finding a vendor / partner to work with
- Not concerned 17%
- A little concerned 27%
- Somewhat concerned 29%
- Very concerned 15%
- Don’t know 12%
Concerned about the quality and quantity of your data
- Not concerned 17%
- A little concerned 15%
- Somewhat concerned 24%
- Very concerned 37%
- Don’t know 7%
Concerned about the scalability with AI in your institution’s current environment
- Not concerned 15%
- A little concerned 10%
- Somewhat concerned 27%
- Very concerned 34%
- Don’t know 15%
Next Steps
For more information on our results or if you would like the entire data set, contact us at:
The SchoolFinder Group Team
info@schoolfindergroup.com