AI Literacy Is No Longer Optionalā€”Itā€™s a Core Responsibility of Higher Education
Feb 20, 2026The question is no longer whether students will use AI.
The question is whether higher education will teach them how to use it well.
Dr. Kate Smith is clear on this point: banning AI doesn’t protect learning—it weakens it.
From Policing to Preparing
Kate compares today’s AI debates to earlier arguments about calculators in math classes. Tools evolve. What matters is whether learners understand what the tool is doing—and can evaluate its output.
AI literacy isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about:
- Asking better questions
- Evaluating accuracy and bias
- Citing sources responsibly
- Understanding limits as well as capabilities
Without these skills, learners may produce answers—but not understanding.
Equity and Access in an AI World
One of the most powerful insights Kate shares is that AI can be democratizing.
Students who never thrived in traditional classrooms are learning independently—experimenting, building, iterating—using AI as a partner rather than a crutch. For some, AI removes barriers that formal education unintentionally created.
If higher education ignores this shift, it risks becoming less relevant to the very learners it was designed to serve.
Teaching Ethics Without Fear
Rather than reacting with fear, Rio Salado is embedding AI literacy into early coursework and faculty development. The goal isn’t blind adoption—it’s responsible use.
This includes helping students:
- Understand when AI is appropriate
- Recognize when human judgment matters more
- Develop metacognitive skills alongside technical ones
AI doesn’t replace thinking. It amplifies it—when used intentionally.
A Leadership Reflection
Leaders should ask:
- Are we teaching students to use AI—or only to avoid it?
- How do our policies support ethical exploration?
- Are we equipping learners for the world they’re entering—or the one we’re nostalgic for?
AI literacy isn’t a future initiative. It’s a present obligation.
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