Artificial intelligence changes everything in higher education

Abstract

We begin with the premise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a change of era, even beyond the transformation brought about by the Digital Era and therefore it has a profound impact on society as a whole and, in particular, on Higher Education. After justifying this hypothesis, we first analyze the role of Artificial Intelligence, and in particular, Generative Artificial Intelligence, as a complement to educational materials, as an intelligent tutor, and as a participant in student forums. Indeed, AI can accelerate and support many teaching–learning processes. Secondly, we analyze how AI affects all aspects of universities, forcing a deep reflection on what the university of the future should be like, taking eight fundamental key factors as a reference. The creation of organizational structures within universities to support this change, by training faculty, students, and administrative staff, is essential, as is the adoption of innovative educational methodologies, the structuring of the educational offering, and the adaptation of spaces to carry them out. To analyze the impact on universities, a comparison is made of how these eight key factors have undergone transformation, first through the evolution and integration of digital technologies and subsequently through the evolution and integration of Artificial Intelligence.