Construct Education is becoming OES. New name, same team, and same commitment to online learning excellence.
Construct Education is becoming OES. New name, same team, and same commitment to online learning excellence.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education in profound ways, from personalized learning to the ethics of AI-driven assessment. In a recent conversation with OES’s David Paroissien and Jesse Keenan on The Thought Bubble podcast, AI specialist Kendra Vant recently shared her insights on where AI is headed in universities.
Here are five key predictions from the podcast about how artificial intelligence will shape the future of higher education:
AI won’t replace educators; it will augment and personalize learning. While generative AI could provide on-demand tutoring, its biggest impact will be in shifting what students need to learn, focusing less on memorization and more on critical thinking, reasoning, and adaptability. Higher Education institutions will need to integrate artificial intelligence as a collaborative tool, ensuring students learn with AI, not just from it.
Kendra Vant: “Memorization of facts is going to become less a defining feature of what it means to have a high-class tertiary education. Being good at reasoning carefully and having a coherent backup for your understanding and ideas is going to become more and more important.”
AI-driven systems will enable truly personalized education, adjusting content based on students’ progress, learning styles, and engagement. The concept of “digital breadcrumbs” (data collected from students’ interactions) will help refine learning pathways, ensuring students get the right support at the right time. However, universities must carefully navigate data privacy concerns to ensure ethical use of student data.
Kendra Vant: “The dream of many online education tools is the ability to adapt the learning pathway to what the student has demonstrably learned so far. With AI, we have more ways than ever to enhance adaptive learning, if we use it responsibly.”
From 24/7 AI tutors to intelligent administrative support, AI will help universities scale student services efficiently. AI-powered tools will assist with course selection, scheduling, research, and career planning, reducing administrative burdens and allowing educators to focus on higher-value engagement with students.
Kendra Vant: “Imagine being able to ask an infinitely patient tutor any question at any time of the day, without judgment. Research shows that students feel more comfortable asking AI than a human because there’s no fear of looking ‘stupid’.”
The traditional exam model will evolve as AI-generated content challenges traditional assessment strategies. Instead of banning artificial intelligence tools, higher education institutions will focus on evaluating how well students interact with AI, emphasizing skills like fact-checking, reasoning, and argumentation. Expect AI literacy to become a core competency alongside traditional academic skills.
Kendra Vant: “Use these tools as they exist today to augment what you want to do. If we don’t shift assessment strategies to teach students how to work with AI, we’re missing the point.”
The integration of artificial intelligence in higher education comes with risks, including bias, misinformation, and academic integrity concerns. Universities will need to establish clear guidelines for AI use in teaching and research while advocating for ethical, responsible AI policies. The challenge is to balance innovation with integrity, ensuring AI enhances education without undermining academic rigor.
Kendra Vant: “Regulation should help us pause and think about the world we want to live in. AI must lift all boats, not just a few, and universities have a responsibility to help shape that future.”
For OES’s Jesse Keenan, leveraging technology is all about improving student experiences and learning outcomes. “I’m really fascinated by the conversation of data and how we can use it to really better support students and ultimately just improve the student experience across the board,” she said, “whether that’s teaching, research, helping students with assessments, or developing better content.”
“Over the last two years, it really feels like the development of AI and its application has fast-tracked through 20 years of evolution,” said Paroissien. “It’s been difficult to separate the facts from the hype, but concerns still remain about how and where AI will be applied now and into the future.”
Hype is inevitable. But AI is already fundamentally changing how universities operate. However, what is becoming increasingly clear is that its greatest impact won’t be in automation. It will be in enhancing human capabilities. As Vant puts it:
“Don’t believe the hype, but don’t sit on the sidelines. Get in and learn.”
You can find more webinars about the future of online education from some of the most pioneering minds on a range of topics right here.
