It’s live! Access exclusive 2026 AI live chat benchmarks & see how your team stacks up.

Unlock the insights

Student Services Survey Report — Produced with Campus Technology

AI-Backed Service Takes Hold in Higher Ed: A Detailed Survey

AI-Backed Service Takes Hold in Higher Ed herobanner

Three out of four higher education institutions have implemented or are actively rolling out AI-backed student services. But adoption rates tell only part of the story. Where campuses deploy AI, how quickly they see returns, and what’s still holding the rest back reveal a much sharper picture of where the industry stands.

We dug into the numbers and the behind-the-scenes in this report, produced in partnership with Campus Technology, surveyed higher education leaders across admissions, advising, IT, student services, and more.

It covers which departments are gaining the most from AI-powered support, what measurable outcomes early adopters are reporting, and why some institutions remain on the sidelines despite growing pressure to modernize.

What You’ll Learn

  • Where AI is delivering results fastest: IT/help desk leads adoption at 65%, followed by recruiting/admissions at 44% and student support at 36%. Read the report to see which ones are generating measurable gains.
  • How quickly institutions are seeing ROI: 20% of respondents achieved positive returns within 1 to 3 months, with another 20% reaching ROI within 3 to 6 months. We dive into more numbers inside!
  • What’s holding the other 26% back: Among institutions that haven’t adopted AI-backed support, data privacy and security concerns top the list at 63%, followed by budget constraints at 58%. We mapped the full set of barriers and identified some key priorities.
  • What early adopters are measuring (and what they should be): Beyond traditional ROI, the report outlines a three-part measurement framework covering return on investment, return on employee productivity, and return on institutional innovation, with benchmarks for each.

Why It Matters

Student expectations for instant, always-available support aren’t slowing down, but campus staffing and budgets are. Departments that adopted AI-backed services report saving 6 to 10 staff hours per week (24% of respondents), with 60% seeing faster response times to student and parent inquiries.

Meanwhile, the top-ranked benefit among adopters was improved student retention, followed by reduced support costs and higher student satisfaction. For institutions still evaluating their options, this report provides the benchmarks and evidence needed to build a credible case for investment.

Download the report

By clicking “Download now”, you agree to our Privacy Policy. We may send you relevant information and offers. If you prefer not to receive them, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share this