By Barbara Gellman-Danley, HLC President 

The Higher Learning Commission is in the final stages of preparing for our upcoming Annual Conference in March.  One of my contributions is development of the annual trends document, which is distributed to attendees at Higher Learning 2026 in Chicago, and then uploaded to our website. One of the trends is a repeat from last year, Artificial Intelligence. Every day when I read the higher education and national press, there are articles about the advances of AI. Aligned with the reports are deep dives into the opportunities and concerns that may arise for higher education and society as a whole. The higher education press includes input from faculty and administrators, while at the same time key industry leaders are weighing in on the exponential growth of application. A new version of ChatGPT includes a deepened focus on research.  The technology is moving faster than our ability to digest the impact. Comprehending this rising tide of innovation requires everyone in higher education to be watching, learning, and analyzing the path forward.  

Several institutions are already requiring AI literacy for students, with parallel training for employees.  I would suggest making it a requirement for all.  AI is becoming faster, better, and more accurate yearly, or should I say, “daily.” Yet it still holds many risks.  

I recently attending a convening by Jobs for the Future, which included a panel of experts speaking on AI. The message was clear – AI is here to stay; how can we harness its strengths? As others have written, it will be the entry level jobs that will be most impacted, initially. Talent management experts noted that if a person needs experience to get to the next level, how will he/she get that if AI replaces the first tier of positions? It is a valid concern that will need to be addressed. How will college graduates learn what is needed to move up in an organization. Apprenticeships, internships and other partnerships are more important than ever. At the same time, experts are predicting certain white collar jobs will not need humans in the future.  

In a Harvard Business Review article, “AI Doesn’t Reduce Work – It Intensifies It,” authors Aruna Ranganathan and Xingqi Maggie stated, “Instead of responding passively to how AI tools reshape workplaces, both individuals and companies should adopt an “AI practice”: a set of intentional norms and routines that structure how AI is used, when it is appropriate to stop, and how work should and should not expand in response to newfound capability. Without such practices, the natural tendency of AI-assisted work is not contraction but intensification, with implications for burnout, decision quality, and long-term sustainability.” 

These are good questions to consider. AI is one of the 12 trends that will be addressed at the conference; we look forward to sharing others with everyone. See you soon!