AI-Powered Higher Education: A Large-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial
Prof. Di (Andrew) WU
Associate Professor of Technology and Operations
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
Higher education—where students increasingly demand personalized learning and attention—is emerging as a prime application area for generative AI-based solutions. At the same time, it is becoming a site of resistance, as instructors and institutions—uncertain about AI’s impact on learning and concerned about job displacement—often push back against these technologies. To rigorously evaluate the role of AI in the classroom and identify strategies for maximizing its positive effects, we assembled a consortium of 31 universities globally and launched one of the largest randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in education to date, where instructors were selectively given access to cutting-edge AI tools to support their teaching. In this talk, I will present the study’s theoretical inspiration, design and preliminary findings, along with initial insights on how best to integrate AI into university classrooms.