What Early Adopters Are Learning About AI in Student Services

AI in student services is moving quickly from experimentation to real-world deployment, but most institutions are still figuring out what actually works.

A chatbot that reduces inbox volume. Faster responses during peak admissions periods. Students getting answers at 3 a.m. without waiting for office hours. These are the early signs of impact. But behind them are harder questions around data privacy, internal buy-in, budget constraints, and how far automation should go.

In this session, Campus Technology and Comm100, alongside practitioners from UBC Okanagan and Cambrian College, unpack how institutions are approaching AI in student services. Drawing on survey findings and firsthand experience, the conversation explores where adoption is gaining traction, where it’s falling short, and why many institutions want more control than public AI tools can provide.

What You’ll Learn

• Where AI is delivering immediate value: How institutions are using AI to handle high volumes of student questions, improve response times, and reduce pressure on support teams.
• What results look like beyond the hype: How teams are reducing inbox and call volume, improving efficiency, and freeing staff to focus on more complex, student-centered work.
• What it actually takes to get started: Why successful teams start small, prioritize a clear use case, and build internal alignment before scaling.
• Where institutions are running into friction: Common challenges including data privacy, budget constraints, and the upfront effort required to implement and maintain AI systems.
• What AI can and can’t replace: Where automation works well, and why human support still plays a critical role in advising, complex cases, and student experience.
• Why controlled AI matters: Why institutions are looking beyond public AI tools toward solutions grounded in their own content, policies, and student support goals.

Why It Matters

Student expectations for fast, accessible support continue to rise, while teams are under pressure to do more with limited resources. AI is helping institutions close that gap, but only when applied to the right problems.

This session offers a practical look at how institutions are using AI today, what’s driving real outcomes, and how to approach adoption without overcomplicating the process.