On one point, there is nearly unanimous agreement from sources The Chronicle spoke with for this article: Generative AI, or GenAI, has brought the field of artificial intelligence across an undefined yet critical threshold, and made AI accessible to the public in a way it wasn’t before. These technologies are now poised to shape broad swaths of the knowledge economy, and the wider work force. But GenAI’s role in higher education over the long run remains an open question. The sector as a whole has yet to demonstrate that it can adapt and keep pace. Proponents of the continued integration of GenAI point out that these technologies could be a lifeline for colleges.
