Institutions Struggle with AI Adoption, Staff Retention Suffers
Published on 8.4.25
The Marketing and Enrollment Management AI Readiness Report 2025, released by UPCEA and EducationDynamics, reveals that institutions are struggling to keep up with the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and enrollment management. Despite growing optimism and individual adoption, only 21% of respondents believe their institution is ahead of the industry in AI adoption, while 36% feel behind their peers. The report highlights the benefits of integrating AI, including improved efficiency and a positive impact on the enrollment funnel, with 69% reporting enhanced workflows and 48% seeing a boost in lead generation. However, institutional staff retention is also impacted by the institution's approach to AI, with 34% stating it would influence their likelihood to stay, up from 1% in 2024. The report emphasizes the need for institutions to prioritize building teams' skills, implementing successful AI tools, and establishing clear guidelines for ethical use across departments to remain competitive.