AI is quickly becoming one of the most valuable tools in higher education. Yet many institutions still haven’t adopted it in ways that meaningfully improve outcomes for students and staff—or deliver a clear return on investment.
Used well, AI can make a real difference for operational efficiencies and student education. The benefits of AI in education range from giving students faster, more personalized support to helping universities run more efficiently behind the scenes.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- The current state of AI adoption in education
- The key benefits of AI for students and staff
- The risks and challenges to consider along the way
Read on!
What is artificial intelligence in education?
Artificial intelligence in education refers to the use of machine learning and automation technologies to support teaching, learning, and administrative tasks in academic environments.
These tools include things like:
- Chatbots for higher education that answer student questions instantly, covering everything from financial aid to class schedules, day or night.
- Knowledge bases that surface accurate, real-time information so students and staff aren’t chasing down answers.
- SMS automation solutions that make it easier to keep in touch with prospective and current students.
The goal of AI tools designed for higher education is to automate repetitive tasks, especially those that require substantial time, staffing, and budget, so educators and staff can focus on higher-value work.
A high-level view: Statistics on AI in education
Unsurprisingly, students were among the first adopters of AI, using it to speed up research, manage coursework, and get instant answers outside the classroom. But administrators and educators, too, recognize the technology’s potential to improve learning, streamline operations, and modernize the overall campus experience.
Let’s see what research has to say about AI adoption in education.
What students are saying
Students are already using AI in their academic lives, and many feel their schools aren’t keeping up. Recent data by the Digital Education Council highlights where they believe institutions could do more:
- 80% say their university is falling short when it comes to using AI in teaching, training, or support
- 73% believe faculty need better training on AI; 72% say students do too
- 59% want to see AI used more frequently in teaching and learning
These numbers show a clear gap between what students expect and what most institutions currently provide.
What faculty and administrators are seeing
Leaders in higher education are also aware of AI’s growing role. Many expect it to play a central part in both strategic planning and everyday operations, according to data from Ellucian:
- Over 80% of higher education administrators anticipate AI will be critical to student success, enrollment management, and marketing efforts
- AI usage across higher education has already increased 2.3x over the past year
- 93% of administrators expect even greater adoption by 2026
- 80% are adopting AI to improve operational efficiency and productivity
As student expectations rise and campuses face growing operational demands, AI is emerging as a key solution for solving the problems schools are facing today.
What are the benefits of AI in education?
Let’s take a closer look at where the impact is most tangible—starting with the student side of the equation.
For students
AI tools are helping students learn more effectively, access support when they need it, and stay on track academically. Key benefits include:
- 24/7 access to information and support through AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants
- Personalized learning experiences, such as adaptive quizzes or AI tutors that adjust content based on performance
- Faster feedback on assignments and assessments, helping students learn and improve in real-time
- Smarter scheduling for advisor meetings, tutoring sessions, or group work
- Proactive alerts for deadlines, at-risk performance, or recommended resources
For faculty and staff
On the other side, AI helps universities reduce manual work, improve response times, and focus human effort where it’s needed most. Key advantages include:
- Fewer repetitive inquiries thanks to high ticket deflection rates from AI-powered chat
- Improved academic advising, with insights into student performance and engagement
- Faster internal communication and support, especially when AI is integrated with HR or IT systems
- Better workload management, allowing faculties to prioritize teaching over admin
- Stronger retention strategies, driven by AI analytics that flag at-risk students earlier
A strong example of these benefits in practice comes from Maryville University, where AI is helping scale student support and improve outcomes at the institutional level. They turned to Capacity’s AI for Education to scale student support and reduce pressure on staff. Maryville deployed a 24/7 AI assistant named Max to handle student inquiries and automate routine support tasks.
Results:
- 6,000+ student questions handled per month
- 97% of inquiries resolved by AI
- 300+ monthly student users
- <2 second response time on average
“Partnering with Capacity was not only the right decision for us—it was one of the best decisions that’s been made by this university.”
— Mark Lombardi, PhD, President of Maryville University
Want similar results at your institution? Book a free demo now and see how Capacity’s AI for education solutions can make a difference for your students and faculties.
Challenges of using AI in education
Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The pros and cons of AI in education should be weighed carefully. Key concerns include:
- Privacy: Any time student data is involved, privacy has to come first. Institutions need to be thoughtful about what’s collected, how it’s used, and who has access.
- Bias: AI systems are only as good as the data they’re trained on. If that data is biased, the outcomes can be, too. Recent studies suggest that up to 83% of AI models may carry a high risk of bias.
- Over-reliance on technology: AI can do a lot, but it’s not a substitute for human support, especially when students are struggling or need a personal touch. They might need to be referred to a specialist, and for that, we still need human intervention.
- Academic integrity concerns: Tools like ChatGPT raise real concerns about plagiarism, academic integrity, and originality, especially in schools and universities. Some universities are implementing tools to catch the use of AI in academic work, but these don’t provide conclusive evidence, and must be used with caution.
- Low AI literacy: Faculty and staff who aren’t familiar with AI may feel unsure or even resistant to using it. Often, it’s not about the tool, it’s about the training and change management around it.
These aren’t dealbreakers, but they do need to be factored into any plan for rolling out AI tools across your academic institution.
Is your university ready for AI?
AI is already changing the way students learn and how universities and edtech teams support them. Students are ready. Many faculty and staff are eager, but still need the right tools to keep up.
Discover how Capacity’s AI for Education can streamline student support with AI chat agents, knowledge bases, SMS automations, and more—all while reducing operational inefficiencies and costs.
Increase agent efficiency with AI
FAQs
AI takes a lot of the grunt work out of academic research. Instead of spending hours digging through articles or crunching numbers, researchers can use AI to sort data, find useful information faster, and even help with writing or editing. For example, AI can scan thousands of academic articles to find links between two different concepts, or it can turn messy quantitative survey results into easy-to-read charts in seconds.
Whether AI helps or harms education is still up for debate. Supporters highlight its ability to personalize learning, adapt assessments, and improve accessibility through tools like real-time translation and disability support. However, critics highlight ethical concerns, warning that overreliance on AI could sideline human teachers, whose personal touch is vital. Issues such as data privacy, biased algorithms, and unequal access to AI tools also demand careful attention.