AI-infused Intro

Timothy Chester

For several years, I've witnessed my university system chancellor's strong interest in AI investments that enhance learning. I've observed presentations on ambitious, multi-year, multi-million-dollar projects: one from a prominent AI scientist to develop a chatbot for prospective college students, and another from a major platform vendor to create a large-scale LMS extension for personalized learning.

Timothy Chester

While both projects were compelling, something felt amiss. The sheer scale of the investments, coupled with the uncertainty of separating genuine innovation from hype, gave us pause. We also worried that today's cutting-edge AI solutions might be quickly superseded by tomorrow's advancements. In the end, we decided to proceed cautiously, and with hindsight, we made the right choice.

Timothy Chester

In today's dispatch, we offer a pragmatic and action-focused guide to AI investment, enabling universities to navigate the complexities, avoid the pitfalls of hype, and pursue initiatives with the greatest potential impact.