Higher ed growing more concerned with bias, data privacy violations of AI

The higher education technology firm Ellucian this week published its second annual AI survey report, which shows that AI adoption has more than doubled over the past year.

The report, which polled 445 faculty and administrators from 330 education institutions across the United States, showed that while adoption is hope, so are concerns about the technology’s effects. Those concerned with bias in AI models rose from 36% last year to 49% this year. Concerns about data privacy and security of AI models also rose, from 50% to 59%.

Laura Ipsen, Ellucian’s president and chief executive, said in a press release that AI is a “game-changer for higher education” that will help institutions provide personalized support to their students.

“Our survey findings show that while adoption is increasing, leaders are rightfully weighing AI’s benefits with careful consideration of privacy, bias, and long-term impact on student outcomes – including the potential impact on student mental health,” Ipsen said. “At Ellucian, we aim to be the go-to technology partner for the higher education community in navigating the complexity of integrating AI into business processes and improving student outcomes.”