This is the first webinar in the 2026 “Trends in Digital Learning and OER” series.
AI is already here and being used, and more AI tools and adoption are coming. The impact on higher education has been and will be substantial. This presentation examines multiple years of Bay View Analytics student and faculty survey data to answer critical AI-related questions:
- What are the current adoption and perceptions of AI in higher education?
- Where are the alignments and tensions between faculty and students?
The webinar will cover how students are using AI for their courses, including AI is most used, what course tasks they apply AI to, and how much they are paying for AI subscriptions.
The session will examine multiple points where the student-faculty tension is growing:
- About 40% of faculty either prohibit or discourage AI use in their courses, yet a majority of students report that their AI use in class is “required or assigned” by their professor.
- Student sentiment about AI has become more positive since last year; faculty sentiment is moving in the other direction. The gap between them is expanding.
- Faculty use is growing slowly; student use is growing rapidly.
The national survey results collected by Bay View Analytics queried respondents’ awareness, use, and perceptions of AI. Additionally, responses include trends collected over multiple years, enabling analysis of how AI-related practices and attitudes are evolving. Overlapping survey questions allow for direct comparison between faculty and student perspectives.
Key Takeaways
- Understand the faculty and student sentiments on AI personally and for their institution in online classrooms
- Identify how and where faculty and students differ in national trends
- Discuss potential policy and administrative options about AI adoption that can best support faculty and students
Presenters
Dr. Jeff Seaman | Director, Bay View Analytics
Dr. Jeff Seaman has worked in education information technology for over 20 years, and holds degrees in Demography/Statistics, Sociology, Electrical Engineering, and Housing, all from Cornell University. He has taught social science, information technology and statistics at several colleges and universities, including Cornell University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and Babson College. Dr. Seaman has been conducting research on the impact of technology on higher education and K-12 for over a decade, beginning with comprehensive national studies of technology use in U.S. Higher Education. Dr. Seaman has served on academic technology advisory boards for a number of information technology companies including Apple Computer, IBM, and Microsoft.
Dr. Julia Seaman | Director of Research, Bay View Analytics
Dr. Julia Seaman has extensive experience in survey research as well as competitive intelligence and translational research. She has worked and published across a wide range of qualitative and quantitative projects. Along with her publications at Bay View Analytics, Dr. Seaman’s projects include publishing on statistical practices in ASQ, and consulting for several biotechnology start-ups. Dr. Seaman has published in scientific, statistical, and quality control journals, including Cell Death and Differentiation, BMC Anesthesiology, and Journal of Quality Progress, as well as serving as statistical and scientific reviewer for BMC journals and UCSF Health Awards.