Given some of the recent media coverage of the rise of generative AI and its potential impact on universities, especially around assessment and academic misconduct, it would be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that university leaders are running scared in the face of ChatGPT.
However, when the Jisc-Emerge HE edtech board of higher education leaders met recently to discuss the potential and pitfalls of generative AI, instead of a discussion about the assessment arms race, there was real curiosity and enthusiasm to explore the potential of the technology and what it holds for universities and students. This echoes the positive approach to generative AI shared by Sir Tim O’Shea in a recent HEPI blog post, which you can read here.
This was a well-attended meeting of around 60 DVCs, PVCs (and even six vice-chancellors), most of whom identified on an opening poll as ready to understand and use generative AI in the education mission rather than ban it.
