"As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into higher education, institutions find themselves balancing two competing imperatives: promoting data access that is open to all for collaboration to drive innovation and research, and protecting student privacy and institutional autonomy. While AI promises more personalization, predictive insights, and resource optimization for students and educators, its reliance on large-scale student data magnifies the risks of surveillance, discrimination, and educational technology (edtech) vendor overreach. The current higher education landscape demonstrates the diverse ways in which colleges and universities approach their students’ data in the age of AI, ranging from open-arms data sharing to risk-averse data hoarding. A third option—intentional, collaborative data governance—offers a way to harness AI’s potential while safeguarding the core values of higher education."
