Promise, Peril and Tremendous Potential: Exploring the Future of Education with AI

During our recent LinkedIn Live event, “AI in Education: Promise or Another Failed Experiment?,” Cengage Group CEO, Michael Hansen, explored the promise and perils of artificial intelligence (AI) in education with industry leaders Chris Caren, CEO of Turnitin, and Paul LeBlanc, former President of Southern New Hampshire University. Participants got an inside look at the transformative potential of AI and its impact on the education sector and the workforce. 

The discussion ultimately centered around the profound, positive potential that AI could create within the educational system. This aligns closely with recent GenAI research that found positive sentiment around GenAI in higher education classrooms had doubled from 28% in 2023 to 49% in 2024. 

 

Throughout the discussion, there were three notable takeaways for education and business leaders to recognize:

 

1. There is optimism that AI will bring tremendous opportunities to education, especially personalized learning. 

Chris Caren expressed strong confidence in AI's role in education, stating: "I'm a big optimist on AI's impact on global productivity which will make the world a more prosperous place for all people." Caren envisions AI as a powerful tool for personalized learning, describing it as "a world class tutor or supplement to your professor to help explain concepts that aren't clear to you and to keep you engaged. One-to-one tutoring is the most proven way to have a student go from a mid-performer to an exceptional performer and that'll be enabled at very low cost with incredibly high quality with AI." 

Despite technological advancements, Caren also emphasized the long-lasting importance of human interaction in education: "I'm net positive on AI's impact in education in a big way. But the teacher and professor remain critical for the human-to-human relationship." He also highlighted the importance of human skills, noting that employers will seek workers with fundamental soft skills like critical thinking, communication, compassion and creativity in our Age of AI. 

Today, our Employability Report shows that 1 in 5 employers have dropped degree requirements during the hiring process – opting instead for candidates to verify their skills through training credentials. Employers’ preference for skills (over degrees) marks an important shift in education and hiring that employers and educators must recognize and embrace to continue building for the future of work. 

 

2. AI adoption in education will be gradual and should focus on process not product.  

Paul LeBlanc offered a more cautious perspective around AI adoption, predicting a gradual transition for higher education. He stated, "I think it will be a very slow transition for higher ed." LeBlanc warned that traditional educational institutions might face disruption from unexpected sources, noting, "If this is a generally disruptive innovation, and I believe it is, you're often not disrupted by your traditional competitors." Hansen emphasized this point, adding that employers, who are increasingly investing in workforce development, are the unexpected “competitors” that educators may not anticipate. 

LeBlanc urged educational leaders to proactively address the changes AI brings, saying, "I think every faculty member and dean needs to be digging in and answering the questions: How is AI changing work? What are the tools that my majors need to master as they go out into the field?" He encouraged institutions to critically analyze their offerings, considering which majors might become obsolete, which new ones might emerge due to technology and where resources should be shifted to support global progression. 

With AI aiding learners, LeBlanc explained how AI raises the cognitive bar but also creates the need to shift evaluation methods. He suggested focusing less on the product and more on the process, asking questions like: What prompts did a student use? Did the prompts improve AI’s inputs? How did the learner validate accuracy? These considerations are crucial, as our GenAI Research also found maintaining academic integrity is the biggest AI concern among higher education (82%) and K12 (84%) faculty. 

 

3. Disruption will continue beyond the classroom. 

Throughout the discussion, it was clear the education system must embrace AI or risk students being left behind in our job market. In fact, our 2024 Employability Report found 72% of employers report their employees could benefit from training on how to work beside GenAI tools.  

There is growing employer expectation that entry-level workers will not only have foundational understanding of GenAI, but will be expected to continue training and improving GenAI skills on on-the-job – long beyond the classroom. And while challenges persist to close employability gaps, speakers underscored the importance of integrating AI thoughtfully into educational practices. In doing so, we are recognizing the immense promise that the future of education holds with AI , provided educators and institutions are prepared to adapt and innovate.  

We thank our guest experts for sharing their insight and hope we sparked new debates on the impact of AI in education. We invite you to watch the discussion here and share your feedback on how this discussion shaped your perspectives on AI in education.