RESTON, VA — Ellucian, a leading provider of technology solutions for higher education, has released its third annual artificial intelligence survey report, highlighting how academic institutions are transitioning from experimental use of AI to more strategic integration. The survey gathered responses from 779 higher education faculty and administrators across more than 300 institutions mainly in the U.S. and Canada, reflecting a significant shift in AI adoption within the sector.
The findings reveal an accelerated institutional adoption of AI, with 66% of respondents indicating their institutions are currently leveraging AI, marking a notable increase from 49% last year. Furthermore, 88% of those surveyed anticipate that AI utilization will rise within the next two years. However, concerns regarding privacy and trust continue to influence how institutions prioritize the implementation of AI technologies.
“Higher education has moved beyond the question of whether AI will shape the future of academic and administrative work — the question now is how institutions scale it responsibly and strategically,” stated Laura Ipsen, President and CEO of Ellucian. “Our third annual survey shows institutions taking AI more seriously in planning and budgeting, while leaders remain clear-eyed about what must come first: protecting data, building trust, and ensuring AI strengthens — not replaces — the people at the heart of higher education.”
As personal usage of AI approaches saturation, institutions are formalizing their AI strategies and investments. Ninety percent of respondents report using AI, up from 84% the previous year, while only 7% remain non-users without plans to adopt. Nearly half of the respondents, 43%, indicate that their institution’s strategic plan includes a focus on AI, and two-thirds of executive leaders assert that their institutions have allocated specific budgets for AI, primarily through broader technology or innovation budgets.
Executive leaders are prioritizing “lower-risk, high-return” applications of AI that enhance decision-making. They most frequently cite the areas delivering the greatest institutional benefits as Business & Operations (68%), Data & Analytics (59%), and Marketing, Admissions & Enrollment (51%). When asked about the most valuable specific AI applications, cybersecurity threat detection and response automation topped the list, followed by revenue and expense forecasting, and identifying at-risk students. Despite this optimism, skepticism persists regarding AI’s influence on high-stakes, human-centered decisions such as student learning, with the share of respondents who believe AI does “more good than harm” declining to 45% from 55%. However, the perceived positive impact of AI on academic integrity improved, rising to 27% from 16%.
As institutions navigate these changes, barriers to AI adoption are evolving, with privacy and data security remaining the primary concerns for both individuals and institutions, reported by 61% and 56% of respondents, respectively. New challenges are emerging, including environmental impact, which more than one in five respondents identified among their top three barriers, and worries about AI-related job displacement, which increased from 7% to 14% year over year. Despite growing familiarity with AI, the need for training remains a significant hurdle, with 83% of Financial Aid respondents indicating a need for AI training.
The survey results underscore a pivotal moment for higher education as institutions seek to harness the transformative potential of AI while addressing crucial ethical and operational challenges. As the landscape of education continues to evolve, the focus on responsible and strategic AI integration will likely play a crucial role in shaping the future of academic institutions.
ABOUT THE SURVEY METHODOLOGY
Ellucian’s third annual AI Survey of Higher Education Professionals is part of an ongoing research initiative that started in 2023 to better understand how higher education leaders perceive and implement artificial intelligence technologies and the value they bring to institutions. Conducted from September 15 to November 15, 2025, the survey garnered 779 responses from administrators across more than 300 institutions primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The sample was designed to ensure broad representation across various institution types, sizes, and job functions.
Respondents included 68% from public institutions, with 21% from U.S. two-year public colleges, 41% from U.S. four-year public schools, and 5% from Canadian public institutions and technical institutes. The remaining 32% represented private institutions. The sample reflected a wide range of institution sizes based on full-time enrollment, with 14% from schools with fewer than 1,000 students, and 19% from those with more than 20,000 students. Various job functions were also represented, including business and operations, academic and student affairs, information technology, data and analytics, and executive leadership.
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