Only 13 Percent of Research Institutions Are Prepared for AI

A new survey commissioned by SHI International and Dell Technologies underscores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) while exposing significant gaps in preparedness at many research institutions.

The Center for Digital Education conducted the survey of leaders and IT professionals across the higher education space in the United States and found that around 50% of research universities have a defined strategy for deploying and managing AI technologies. However, only 13.2% say they are mostly or fully prepared to harness the power of AI effectively.

AI’s applications span a wide range in academia, with two use cases leading the way: chatbots (36.8%) and research tools (35.3%). The top five use cases are rounded out by automation of administrative tasks, predictive analytics, and student services (all 29.4%).

“Top research universities are at the forefront of innovation and have led to life-altering inventions like insulin, Wi-Fi technology, and the pacemaker, so getting AI implementation right for these schools is critical,” said Steve Troxel, Public Sector Field Solutions Engineer at SHI. “Having the right policies and guardrails in place makes for the easiest integrations and allows these institutions to take full advantage of the AI systems they’re using.”

According to the survey results, more than 80% of respondents didn’t feel policies had been fully implemented, but 70% were either already using AI or plan to within the next 12 months.

Other key findings from research institutions include:

  • 48.6% either have basic training in place or plan to provide training for their staff
  • Institutions need the most assistance developing an AI funding strategy (47.1%) and identifying available grants (44.1%)
  • Top barriers to implementation include too many competing priorities (36.8%), inadequate funding (36.8%), and lack of AI strategy or ownership (30.9%)
  • Only 16% say their infrastructure is ready for extensive AI integration for students
  • 29.4% have only somewhat or partially implemented data security and privacy measures into their AI systems

"The best thing institutions can do is hop on board the speeding AI train and figure out how to use it to best reach their destination or goal," said Adam Robyak, Field Chief Technology Officer and Principal Engineer at Dell.

Featured

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • The Impact of Convergence Between IT and Physical Security

    For years, the worlds of physical security and information technology (IT) remained separate. While they shared common goals and interests, they often worked in silos. Read Now

  • Unlocking Trustworthy AI: Building Transparency in Security Governance

    In situations where AI supports important security tasks like leading investigations and detecting threats and anomalies, transparency is essential. When an incident occurs, investigators must trace the logic behind each automated response to confirm its validity or spot errors. Demanding interpretable AI turns opaque “black boxes” into accountable partners that enhance, rather than compromise, organizational defense. Read Now

  • Seeking Innovative Solutions

    Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. You may recognize these terms as the “5 Phases” of a grieving process, but they could easily describe the phases one goes through before adopting any new or emerging innovation or technology, especially in a highly risk-averse industry like security. However, the desire for convenience in all aspects of modern life is finally beginning to turn the tide from old school hardware as the go-to towards more user-friendly, yet still secure, door solutions. Read Now

  • Where AI Meets Human Judgment

    Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days. It is driving business growth, shaping consumer experiences, and showing up in places most of us never imagined just a few years ago. Read Now

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.