AI for U

Brian welcomes back Ardis Kadiu , Cofounder and CEO at Andi.ai , to break down the massive shift from simple text generation to true agentic autonomy. Ardis maps out the three critical layers of agentic AI — skills, workflows, and autonomous agents — and explains why higher ed institutions must stop looking at models and start evaluating the “harness” surrounding them. He outlines five essential q...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping higher education, but most institutions are still trying to navigate what responsible adoption actually looks like in real time. In this episode, Brian sits down with Brandon Rich, Director of AI Enablement at the University of Notre Dame, to explore what he calls the “messy middle” of AI adoption in higher ed. Brandon shares how Notre Dame moved from a...

Returning guest Joyce Peralta , Manager of Digital Communications at McGill University , joins Brian for a thoughtful conversation about what higher education institutions are getting right and wrong about AI adoption. From governance and accessibility to localization and structured content, Joyce shares how McGill is navigating the realities of implementing AI inside a large, decentralized instit...

Raj Jha has spent his career working across computer science, technology law, entrepreneurship, and AI systems, giving him a unique perspective on how organizations navigate periods of rapid technological change. In this episode, Raj joins Brian to discuss why most conversations about AI focus too heavily on tools instead of outcomes, how institutions can adapt without losing trust, and why the fu...

There’s a quiet shift happening in how we work with data. For years, the focus has been on collecting more of it, building better dashboards, and reporting on the right numbers. But as this conversation explores, that approach may be reaching its limit. That’s because having data isn’t the same as having insight. In this episode, Brian talks with Jamie Boggs , Marketing and Engagement Analyst at E...

AI can already do the easy work, so how do higher ed professionals prove their worth? In this episode, Dan Keating , Clinical Associate Professor of Information Systems and AI at University of Rochester - Simon Business School , explains how AI is changing how we think, learn, and define expertise. The fundamentals still matter, but when AI can produce solid output in seconds, the question shifts...

In this episode, host Brian Piper talks with Sean Harrington , Director of AI and Legal Tech Studio at ASU Law , about bridging the gap between risk-averse academia and rapid AI innovation. Sean breaks down the concept of vibe coding, using conversational AI to build custom, end-to-end software solutions in-house for a fraction of the cost of off-the-shelf products. He shares how ASU Law is leadin...

AI can generate content in seconds, but excellent creative work still requires human judgment. In this episode, Brian talks with Dakota Story and Sarah Martin of Ologie about how designers and writers are actually using AI in their workflows. They explain why many creatives think of AI as an intern, where it fits into the creative process, and why taste, judgment, and emotional intelligence still...

In this episode of AI for U, Brian sits down with Dr. Manjeet Rege, Chair of the Department of Software Engineering and Data Science at the University of St. Thomas . Dr. Rege shares his journey from medical AI research to institutional strategy, arguing that the “age of piloting” is over. He breaks down what a truly operational AI organization looks like, emphasizing the need for product managers...

In this episode, host Brian Piper speaks with Paul LeBlanc , Visiting Scholar and Special Advisor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education . Paul explores the profound impact of AI on higher education, arguing that institutions must move beyond traditional knowledge transfer to focus on character formation and a “care economy.” He outlines a three-phase approach for leaders that includes prepar...

Brian welcomes Erin Fields, Marketing Director at Ologie, to discuss the critical transition from using AI for mere efficiency to using it for strategic orientation. Erin shares how AI has transformed her workflow by offloading the “invisible work” of reconstructing context and analyzing social data at scale. She emphasizes that while AI can surface patterns, humans must remain responsible for the...

Higher ed is stepping into a new era, and Rebecca Stapley is right in the middle of it. The Director of Marketing and Communications at the Rochester Institute of Technology joins Brian to reveal how AI is helping her cut through email chaos, understand new audiences, and create more space for meaningful work. She also talks frankly about feeling hesitant at first, realizing AI literacy was becomi...

In this conversation, Brian talks with Eric Hollenbeck , Communications Manager for Research at Washington State University - Carson College of Business , to explore how generative AI is becoming a genuine partner in the creative and strategic process. Eric shares why he sees the future not as artificial intelligence but as augmented intelligence. He explains how tools like ChatGPT and Copilot hel...

In this episode, Brian sits down with Ross Simmonds , Founder and CEO of Foundation Marketing , for a sharp and unfiltered look at how AI is rewriting the rules of higher education, content strategy, and the entire student decision journey. They dig into the cultural roadblocks that keep institutions stuck, the game-changing speed of AI-assisted content, and the rise of answer engine optimization....

How do you stay authentic when AI touches everything you create? In this episode, we talk with Stu Eddins, Chief Digital Strategy Officer at Stamats, about the human side of artificial intelligence and why authenticity matters more than ever. Stu shares how AI has quietly shaped digital marketing for years and why technology alone will never replace genuine connection. The conversation turns to hi...

In this episode, Brian talks with Rob McDole , Director for the Center of Teaching and Learning at Cedarville University , about how AI is transforming the way higher education teaches and learns. The conversation explores how AI supports recall-based learning, helping students move beyond cramming for tests to actually retaining and understanding what they study. They also discuss why institution...

What does it really mean to be an AI-first institution? In this episode, Kyle Campbell , Founder and Managing Director of Education Marketer , joins Brian to break down how higher education can move beyond surface-level innovation. Kyle shares how to make AI part of the system, not just a shortcut. He also explains why leaders need the most AI education and how technology can make university messa...

Worried about falling website traffic? You’re not the only one. In this episode, Megan Andrews , Digital Strategy Consultant at Squiz , joins us to talk about why fewer clicks do not necessarily mean less engagement, and how conversational AI is changing how students find and interact with information online. She also shares why it’s time to stop obsessing over visitor counts and start measuring r...

In this episode, Brian sits down with Carrie Pitts-Densmore , VP of Enrollment and Marketing at Johnston Community College , to talk about how higher ed can embrace AI as a partner rather than a threat. Carrie shares how her team built ten AI agents inside their CRM to handle student inquiries, scale enrollment communications, and free staff to focus on more complex, human-centered work. From savi...

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Lee , Director of Web User Experience and Digital Strategy at Colorado College , to unpack the promises and the pitfalls of bringing AI into higher education. Mark reveals how he treats AI as a coworker instead of a content machine, why fear and resistance remain the biggest roadblocks on campus, and how schools can win buy-in by starting small with low-risk,...

How can higher education move beyond theory and actually adopt AI in ways that matter? In this episode, we talk with Allen Karns , Chief AI and Technology Officer at Vanderbilt ’s Center for Generative AI, to unpack what it really takes to integrate AI across a university. Allen shares the story of Amplify, Vanderbilt’s homegrown AI platform, and explains why leadership buy-in is the single bigges...

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Deperro, Michael Deperro , Senior Coordinator of Faculty Development & Professionalism at Case Western Reserve University , to uncover how AI is shaking up higher education. Michael pulls back the curtain on how his team is using AI to clear away the “digital laundry” of repetitive back-office work, build a retrieval-augmented generation hub that simplifie...

The search landscape for prospective students is changing dramatically, and the shift to AI search optimization is now a critical part of any higher ed marketing strategy. In this episode, Faton Sopa , Cofounder and CEO at Manaferra , joins Brian to discuss new research on how prospective students are using AI in their college search journey. Faton shares his insights on what this new behavior mea...

In this episode, Brian sits down with Nicole Brini , Head Manager of International Reputation at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , to talk about what it really takes to integrate AI into higher education. Nicole explains how a seemingly simple chatbot project uncovered deeper problems with data, communications, and processes, sparking a larger transformation of their student experience, websi...

Everyone in higher ed knows that AI transformation is happening fast, and Tom Andriola , Chief Digital Officer at UC-Irvine , is helping lead the charge. Tom joins Brian to share how his institution is approaching generative AI not with hesitation, but with urgency. From chatbots in admissions to one-to-one learning in the classroom, Tom walks us through UC-Irvine’s strategy for scaling innovation...