The power of internal audit: Applying AI to your institution's business, administrative and academic functions

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining momentum in higher education as an effective and efficient way to optimize and automate key business functions, improve academic programs and the student experience and predict and detect risks to numerous institutional areas. This growth aligns with national trends, as the U.S. Department of Education has launched its own AI innovation process and issued guidance outlining responsible uses of AI in education. These efforts aim to support institutions in leveraging AI while upholding principles of equity, transparency and student privacy.

Many colleges and universities have admitted they don't know exactly where to start implementing AI due to the endless possibilities. One strategy is to deploy AI from an internal audit perspective, assessing how various units across higher education are using AI for business and academic purposes. Institutions can augment processes and train and develop users in leveraging AI to complete more than 50 actions detailed in the below guide. As institutions integrate AI, it's important to follow all applicable confidentiality and data sharing policies and review outputs for accuracy, as AI models can still make mistakes.