Two stories, posted less than a month apart by the same author, illustrate the dilemma colleges face in integrating AI technologies into the classroom.
The first: A recent Gallup survey found that 42% of students say their schools actively discourage AI use — yet 57% use it every week anyway. However, while colleges are banning AI to stop cheating, companies are encouraging new hires fresh out of college to use it. Deloitte’s Asia-Pacific CEO has said graduates are showing up with a “negative perception” of AI base on their experience with college coursework, and that he has no patience for it.
The second: Ford, after a record-breaking $4.8 billion recall year in 2023, didn’t fix its quality problem with a new AI system. It brought back 350 experienced engineers — many former employees — specifically because institutional knowledge was the thing AI couldn’t supply on its own. A year later, Ford jumped from 10th to 1st in quality rankings among mainstream brands.
At first glance, these two stories may appear contradictory, but they convey the same important lesson. This has influenced my approach to incorporating AI into my collegiate sports marketing curriculum.
Here are my thoughts as I prepare for next semester.