AI as a Tool, Not a Threat

Every new learning platform now comes with AI features, from automated quiz builders to intelligent course design assistants. Faculty may feel apprehensive, but the reality is that AI can reduce workload and provide powerful starting points for teaching materials.

One panellist demonstrated how quickly AI could generate a course outline: “I can create a course in the time it takes me to say the sentence, ‘I’m creating a course now.’ It’s not the finished product, but it’s a starting point.”

The Skills Divide

The key isn’t whether AI exists — it’s how well educators learn to use it. As one speaker put it: “It’s not AI that will take your job. It’s the person who learns to use AI better.”

Universities must therefore invest in training staff and students to work with AI, not against it.

Challenges Ahead

AI also raises questions around assessment, academic integrity, and the nature of teaching itself. How do you evaluate learning when AI can write essays? How do you ensure human interaction remains central in a digital-first world?

The consensus was that AI is a revolution — but one that must be managed thoughtfully. With the right approach, it could transform higher education for the better.