Introduction to Policy Considerations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming higher education, reshaping teaching, research, administrative operations, and student engagement. Because the landscape continues to change quickly, the process of developing an AI policy, especially at an institutional, departmental, or programmatic level, may feel daunting. It may appear that other institutions came onto the AI “scene” much earlier or with better coordination or resources. However, it is important to remember that the process of developing an institutional AI policy does not need to be onerous or uniform across different schools and sites.

This chapter is not a policy itself, nor is it a hard and fast list of elements that must be included in an AI policy. Rather, it provides a framework for approaching the development of policies across a variety of contexts, acknowledging that there will be variations across campuses. Not all of the elements or recommendations in this chapter will be appropriate for your campus. Much of the information here has been informed by the experiences and observations of the members of this subcommittee who have been involved in policy development on their own campuses. It is also based on many examples of AI policies that we encountered in our research. It is the responsibility of each campus to decide the norms and standards that will guide AI use in their unique environment.