Judith Cardenas

Imagine starting your day with every meeting meticulously organized—complete with notes, action items, and materials seamlessly compiled from your emails and files—all at the click of a button. Or envision a schedule brimming with meetings where preparation time is halved, thanks to an artificial intelligence co-companion that efficiently follows up moments after each session.

For many, such scenarios seem like science fiction. Yet, in our era of AI, the improbable has become reality. Mustafa Suleyman,¹ co-founder of DeepMind and a leading figure in AI, encapsulates this transformation:

From Mundane to Revolutionary: The Ascendance of AI

Technologies like drone deliveries, robotic vacuums autonomously cleaning our homes, fraud alerts on credit cards, and eerily precise targeted ads have normalized disruptive innovations. However, in November 2022, OpenAI launched ChatGPT, a groundbreaking application that showcased AI’s potential to the masses, heralding an intelligence revolution and redefining human-technology interaction. As AI has become more versatile, users are realizing its potential to reshape how we work, share ideas, and solve problems. With millions of people actively collaborating with AI in creative and cognitive processes, generative AI tools have reached a cultural turning point, fostering a new era of innovation, productivity, and ethical inquiry.

Rapid Transformation and Its Challenges

Our personal and professional landscapes are evolving at an unprecedented pace. The integration of AI has sparked fear, uncertainty, curiosity, and, most importantly, opportunity. In higher education—particularly within community colleges—the adoption of disruptive technologies has been sluggish. Leaders grapple with balancing board expectations, adapting to workforce shifts, cultivating agile and inclusive cultures, and addressing the diverse and evolving needs of student populations.

However, community colleges are uniquely positioned in this unpredictable world of change and disruption. This moment calls for action: Our leaders are charged with creating cultures of innovation that foster creativity and agility. We are called to reinforce our value proposition while simultaneously building new individual and organizational capabilities to ensure resilience and relevance.

Amid this complexity, AI is fundamentally reshaping how students gather information, make decisions, and engage in learning experiences. A recent study by Tyton Partners² revealed that nearly 50 percent of college students are using AI tools, while only 22 percent of faculty members are doing the same.

Lessons From Industry: A Strategic Shift for Higher Education

What can higher education learn from industries that have successfully embraced AI? How can colleges pivot their strategies to harness AI’s potential? To address these questions, community college leaders must adopt a proactive approach to AI integration. Utilizing S.H.I.F.T. as a framework for change can begin this process:

Strategize With AI. See AI as a strategic approach to change, not just a tool. Balance the needs of students, faculty, staff, business processes, and technology to stay in control of the transformation.

Honor Your Values. Build your AI strategy around your institution’s unique value proposition. Don’t mimic other colleges; focus on serving your distinct community.

Initiate Transformation. Accept that AI adoption is a long-term journey involving large-scale changes and shifts in work processes. Be open to the democratization of AI tools.

Foster a Change Mindset. Adapt to the reality that community colleges may not lead the disruption but can thrive by embracing change and avoiding resistance.

Take the Lead. Be proactive in shaping the future rather than reacting to it. Drive innovation and transformation intentionally.

The Road Ahead: Leading Through Innovation

By embracing AI, community colleges can enhance learning experiences, foster innovation, and equip students with the skills necessary to navigate and contribute to an AI-driven world. This proactive approach positions educational institutions at the forefront of the technological revolution, enabling them to shape the future workforce effectively.

The path forward requires bold leadership, strategic vision, and a commitment to shaping the future of education through AI. By fostering creativity, agility, and innovation, we can transform today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities, ensuring that our institutions remain relevant, impactful, and future-ready.

From Bytes to Belonging: Making AI Work for Everyone outlines how colleges can integrate AI into operations in ways that encourage faculty, staff, and students to embrace change and explore new ideas.

¹ Suleyman, M. (2023). The Coming Wave: Technology, power, and the twenty-first century’s greatest dilemma, p. 175. Crown.
² Shaw, C., Yuan, L., Brennan, D., Martin, S., Janson, N., Fox, K., & Bryant, G. (2023). GenAI in Higher Education: Fall 2023 Update of Time for Class Study, p. 6. Tyton Partners.