AI Research

Urgent Adoption of Artificial Intelligence is Key for

Published

4 weeks ago

August 4, 2025

Lenexa, Kan., Aug. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The era of artificial intelligence (AI) as a mere experimental tool in higher education is over. A new in-depth analysis, Marketing and Enrollment Management AI Readiness Report 2025, released by UPCEA, the online and professional education association and EducationDynamics, a transformative strategic partner in higher education, examines AI’s rapidly expanding scope and impact within institutional practices in the realm of prospective student marketing and enrollment management. This is the second year in which the report has been released.

The 2025 study reveals that, while institutional optimism and receptivity to emerging technologies are growing, a significant gap persists between this optimism and actual operational readiness. Many institutional representatives responded that they perceive their institution is falling behind their peers, with only 21% reporting they believe they are ahead of the industry in AI adoption. The report highlights that the question is no longer whether to use AI, but how fast institutions must move to keep up in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Key findings from the 2025 report include:

Perceived Lag in AI Leadership: Despite growing individual adoption, a significant 56% of institutions still do not consider themselves leaders in implementing AI for marketing and enrollment. A concerning 36% felt their institution was behind their peers, while only 21% believed they were ahead.

Tangible Performance Gains through AI: For those integrating AI, the benefits are clear. 69% of respondents reported improved efficiency in marketing and enrollment workflows and nearly half (48%) saw a positive impact on their enrollment funnel. Areas like customized ad messaging and lead generation are reported to be yielding strong ROI.

AI Readiness Impacts Staff Retention: The institution’s approach to AI is now a significant factor in talent retention. In 2025, a striking 34% of respondents stated their institution’s view on AI would impact their likelihood to stay, a dramatic increase from just 1% in 2024. This highlights the growing importance of AI fluency in attracting and retaining top marketing and enrollment management talent.

The full report provides deeper insights into these trends, including the rapid acceleration of individual staff AI adoption, persistent barriers like budget and data privacy and evolving student expectations for AI-powered interactions.

“AI has transitioned from an experimental tool to a core component of higher education marketing and enrollment operations,” stated Sarah Russell, Vice President of Marketing at EducationDynamics. “Institutions that are embracing AI are already reporting measurable gains in effectiveness and efficiency. The report clearly shows that delaying implementation risks falling permanently behind, not just peers, but also the evolving expectations of Modern Learners.”

“While staff adoption and institutional openness to AI are on the rise, the challenge now is turning that momentum into practical, campus-wide strategies,” added Emily West, Senior Market Research Analyst at UPCEA. “Leaders need to focus on implementing AI tools that have a track record of success, prioritize building their teams’ skills, and set up clear guidelines to support thoughtful, ethical use across departments. Creating clear career growth opportunities tied to AI skills can also strengthen staff engagement and retention. “The report provides a strategic roadmap for higher education leaders to navigate the evolving AI landscape, emphasizing intentionality, cross-departmental collaboration and a sense of urgency to prepare for the future of student engagement and institutional growth.

The full Marketing and Enrollment Management AI Readiness Report 2025 is now available for download.

For more information, please visit educationdynamics.com/insights or contact Senior Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication Eric McGee at emcgee@educationdynamics.com.

About UPCEA

UPCEA is the online and professional education association. Our members continuously reinvent higher education, positively impacting millions of lives. We proudly lead and support them through cutting edge research, professional development, networking and mentorship, conferences and seminars, and stakeholder advocacy. Our collaborative, entrepreneurial community brings together decision makers and influencers in education, industry, research, and policy interested in improving educational access and outcomes.

About EducationDynamics

EducationDynamics is the transformative strategic partner in higher education, focused on maximizing human potential by empowering institutions and leaders who are ready to challenge the status quo. With 35 years of experience, EducationDynamics has continuously evolved to stay ahead of the everchanging landscape, helping partner institutions exceed what was previously thought possible. The company offers a distinct voice for leaders seeking to move beyond outdated practices, embracing a data-driven, student-centric approach that leverages research, strategy, action, and measurement to build strong brand reputation and optimize marketing performance for sustainable revenue growth. EducationDynamics activates, executes, and optimizes in real time, translating insights into precise action.

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AI Research

University-based AI research – USBE and Information Technology

Published

20 minutes ago

September 2, 2025

The Editors

The Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems at the University of California, Davis, was one of the seven original Artificial Intelligence institutes announced in August 2020.

The Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture.

At the same time, the National Science Foundation leads the overall Artificial Intelligence Institutes program.

Recently, UC Davis announced that the National Science Foundation has awarded the institution $5 million over five years to run the Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization, a community hub for AI institutes established by the federal government.

The Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization is part of a $100 million public-private investment in AI recently announced by the National Science Foundation.

In December 2024, the Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization received $1.75 million from Google.org to support AI education, including AI curriculum for K-16 and workforce training, AI-assisted learning, and summer programs in AI for high school teachers and students.

As of July 29, 2025, the Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization was a virtual organization with support from the National Science Foundation, run by staff from the Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) at UC Davis. With the new investment, it will become a National Science Foundation-branded community hub.

The Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization began as an effort to coordinate activities among the original federal AI institutes, including the Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) at the University of California, Davis, and then to share knowledge with new institutes as they were established.

It has expanded into a virtual hub that supports all the institutes, including organizing an annual summit for the leadership of AI institutes.

Under the new contract, the Artificial Intelligence Institutes’ Virtual Organization will provide events and venues that bring the AI Institutes’ personnel and other stakeholders together, creating mechanisms for cross-institute connection.

It will also foster the development of new public-private partnerships and promote a positive interest in university-based AI research, as well as the development and use of AI for the greater good.

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AI Research

New Illinois law restricts use of AI in psychotherapy

Published

23 minutes ago

September 2, 2025

Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

Less than a year ago, Illinois state legislator Bob Morgan heard from a group of social workers. They asked him to look into artificial intelligence therapy bots.

Morgan said he heard “story after story of new apps and new examples of AI therapy bots that are really providing bad advice — and sometimes dangerous advice” to individuals dealing with substance abuse, psychosis, suicidal ideation, and other life-or-death issues.

In one particular example from a therapist, Morgan said a chatbot told a person with an addiction to take more drugs “because it felt good in the moment.”

So, the state representative got to work drafting a bill that bans therapists from using AI other than for administrative purposes, like notetaking or scheduling. The law also says chatbots cannot diagnose or treat mental illness — or market themselves as if they do.

“We’re stepping in and saying, if you’re an AI bot pretending to be a therapist, that is inappropriate, and we’re going to shut that down,” Morgan said.

Illinois is not the first state to pass legislation regarding the use of AI in psychotherapy. Utah and Nevada have passed laws this year to rein in the use of chatbots and other tools in mental health treatment.

This “patchwork approach” by the states is likely to continue, according to Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association.

Wright said a federal approach is preferred because “then you would have some uniformity and greater specificity across the different states that could have better outcomes.”

But such regulation is unlikely, given efforts this summer by the U.S. House of Representatives to ban states from regulating artificial intelligence for a decade as part of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The U.S. Senate eventually voted to strike that provision from the bill.

Federal laws aside, Wright said AI therapy bans like Illinois’ don’t address one of the biggest issues plaguing her field: people going to generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Character AI for mental health support.

“They call themselves companions; they say they’ll help with your loneliness. But when you read the fine print, they very clearly say, ‘We are not a therapeutic aid,’” Wright said.

She added that the business model for these platforms is to keep visitors on by being validating and reinforcing.

“Basically, they’re telling you exactly what you want to hear. This is the antithesis of therapy,” she said.

However, Wright does see a future where mental health chatbots are “rigorously tested, rooted in psychological science, co-created with experts, and they’ll have humans monitoring the interactions,” she said.

Such tools — if federally regulated — could help fill a void in the U.S.’s growing mental health crisis, Wright added.

Until then, licensed psychologists like Michelle Kalnasy Powell say they will watch and wait.

“I am skeptical about AI,” she said, adding that Illinois’ ban is a good starting point, but it may not go far enough.

Kalnasy Powell currently uses AI for billing, but not for taking notes during sessions with patients. Some of her peers use dictation software that complies with patient confidentiality laws.

“Even then, I question when I read the terms of service,” she said. “It’s kind of like sending a session off into the ether. What are you doing with that content? Is it really deleted?”

She added that her work is very personal and vulnerable.

“It is a privilege and an honor to be able to hear people’s stories, both the joy, the happiness and the sorrow,” she said. “[If] that would somehow wind up out there in a way that none of us could predict, but wind up harming the client — I’m just not willing to risk it.”

Chinese Startup DeepSeek Challenges Silicon Valley AI Dominance with Research Focus

Published

2 hours ago

September 2, 2025

Name

In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, Chinese startup DeepSeek is emerging as a formidable player, prioritizing cutting-edge research over immediate commercial gains. Founded in 2023, the company has quickly gained attention for its innovative approaches to large language models, challenging the dominance of Silicon Valley giants. Unlike many U.S.-based firms that chase profitability through aggressive monetization, DeepSeek’s strategy emphasizes foundational advancements in AI architecture, drawing praise from industry observers for its long-term vision.

This focus on research has allowed DeepSeek to develop models that excel in efficiency and performance, particularly in training and inference processes. For instance, their proprietary techniques in sparse activation and optimized

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