The higher ed space is evolving as more schools look to implement artificial intelligence (AI) in a variety of ways to stay innovative. From discussions of AI replacing educators to helping students enroll, universities are looking to use this technology to improve student engagement and retention both in the classroom and on campus. Many higher ed institutions use AI through chatbots, allowing an automated form of communication between staff and incoming or even current students. These chatbots help inform students by answering common questions about tasks like enrollment and financial aid. While there are positive returns on implementing this type of technology, chatbots are not the future of student engagement in higher ed because they lack several crucial aspects.
These aspects cause chatbots to fall behind when compared to one-on-one communication between students and higher ed advisors or educators. Below are two notable reasons why chatbots are not the future of student engagement, along with what a more engaging solution looks like.
(Next page: The pros and cons of chatbots)
Jamie Riepe is chief revenue officer of Signal Vine, an enterprise text messaging platform that transforms the way higher education institutions reach and engage students. The company serves more than 200 higher education organizations, including the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, University of New Mexico, and Austin Community College.
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