Professors are using oral exams to combat students' use of generative AI, and some universities run faculty workshops on how to conduct them. Professors at institutions including Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and New York University have reported a surge in perfect written assignments that students cannot explain, raising concerns about the long-term influence of AI on critical thinking. "We're doing this because students are actually losing skills, losing cognitive capacity and creativity," says Emily Hammer, associate professor of Middle Eastern languages and cultures at the University of Pennsylvania.

Southern New Hampshire University has established itself as a leader in AI within higher education, with Vice President for Artificial Intelligence Rob McAuslan guiding its strategy. Leveraging his global experience, McAuslan ensures that SNHU's AI initiatives go beyond automation, instead focusing on expanding educational access and supporting diverse learners. The university's approach is recognized for its innovative use of AI to meet students where they are and to amplify human potential on a large scale.

Colleges and universities are adapting academic models to cater to a student population that's becoming more career-focused and older. Brandeis University is embedding microcredentials into its curriculum, the University of Rochester is offering accelerated master's pathways, and the University of Central Florida is implementing eight-week terms. In addition, university-based retirement communities are becoming a long-term, separate revenue source.