The AI Challenge: How College Faculty Assess the Present and Future of Higher Education in the Age of AI

Produced by AAC&U in partnership with Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, The AI Challenge examines how generative AI is transforming teaching, learning, careers, and academic integrity. Drawing on a national survey of more than 1,000 faculty, the report captures both concerns and possibilities—from worries about critical thinking and student dependence on AI to new opportunities for customized instruction and innovation.

This collaborative study provides campus leaders, educators, and policymakers with clear evidence and faculty insights to inform thoughtful decisions about AI’s role in higher education.