tl;dr: Agentic AI is moving from hype to real outcomes in higher education. At EDUCAUSE 2025, I had the privilege of moderating a panel where leaders shared practical ways to use autonomous, outcome-driven AI to boost student success and campus efficiency. The key takeaways? Start small, keep people in the loop, build trust, and scale what works. At Dell Technologies, we’re here to help institutions stand up secure, scalable foundations for AI that drive real impact.
Agentic AI: a game-changer for higher education
Agentic AI systems—autonomous, adaptive, and intelligent—are set to reshape higher education. These systems go beyond simple automation to make decisions, take action, and learn from data. The result? Better outcomes for students and more effective operations for institutions.
At EDUCAUSE 2025, Dell Technologies, in collaboration with NVIDIA, brought together chief institutional leaders from North Carolina A&T State University, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and The University of Texas at San Antonio to explore how this technology can drive student and institutional success. As the moderator, I had the opportunity to guide this insightful discussion and hear firsthand how agentic AI is already making a difference.
What is Agentic AI?
We began by grounding the conversation in a clear definition. Lizbeth Johnson, Interim CIO at North Carolina A&T State University, described it as “AI with agency,” where systems can perform tasks autonomously and free staff for higher-value work. She reminded us that while these systems are powerful, humans remain central: “We are designing these agents. We are programming the workflows. And we have to remember that we are never going to be removed from that loop and shouldn’t be.”
Marc West, Sr. Manager at NVIDIA, added that agentic AI involves a “multi-step process of perception, reasoning, and taking action.” Unlike generative AI, which produces content, agentic AI delivers outcomes or completes tasks. This distinction is critical as we think about how to apply these systems in higher education. For those interested in a deeper dive, I recommend Microsoft Research’s overview of the agentic AI revolution.
Where Agentic AI helps now
The panelists shared compelling examples of how agentic AI is already addressing real challenges:
- Streamlined Service Desks: At North Carolina A&T, the team is developing an agent to manage registrar emails. The AI reads, understands, and responds to common student questions. As Lizbeth Johnson explained, this will free staff to focus on complex issues while students get accurate answers faster.
- Faster Answers That Support Retention: Dan Harder, Chief Academic Technology Officer at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, highlighted the need for timely information as their student body grows. He envisions a campus chatbot that can answer questions like “How do I register for class?” or “Where do I go for this meal plan?” on demand. This approach allows success coaches to spend more time with students who need deeper support.
- Always-On Academic Support: Students expect instant help, and as Marc West noted, “If that’s when they’re learning and they’re ready to absorb information, let’s enable that.” AI tutors can meet learners where they are, any time.
Leading the change with a clear strategy
Adopting agentic AI requires thoughtful leadership, and the panelists offered valuable advice:
- Align on a Unified Vision: Lizbeth Johnson emphasized the importance of a shared campus vision to ensure projects head in the same direction. At North Carolina A&T, their “AI Accelerator” provides knowledge, tools, and a safe playground for experimentation. This initiative empowers people and builds a community of practice.
- Empower Faculty Champions: Dan Harder urged leaders to take smart risks and back early adopters. At UT Knoxville, they funded a faculty cohort to integrate AI into courses. The response was overwhelming, with interest spreading across departments. Finding enthusiastic partners and giving them support can create momentum while avoiding governance bottlenecks.
Building trust and addressing concerns
Change inevitably raises questions, and the panelists stressed the importance of open communication, transparency, and empathy.
Lizbeth Johnson compared AI’s arrival to past shifts like laptops and the internet: “We’ve all done this before.” She encouraged leaders to invite faculty and staff to help shape the approach and use their expertise to inform new workflows.
Nassos Galiopoulos, CTO at The University of Texas at San Antonio, reminded us that we are still early in this journey. He positioned AI as a tool to improve productivity, not replace people. The goal is a hybrid form of intelligence where technology handles routine tasks, and people drive creativity and innovation.
Why Moving Now Matters
The risk of standing still is real. As Dan Harder put it, “If you don’t embrace these technologies, your institution will not get the students you need.” Starting small, proving value, and scaling what works is the practical path forward.
At Dell Technologies, we’re committed to helping institutions navigate this journey. Our solutions provide a secure and scalable foundation for AI initiatives, from pilots to production.
- Explore Dell Technologies solutions for higher education
- See how our AI solutions help institutions build, run and scale outcome-driven AI
Let’s build the future of learning together. With the right strategy and tools, we can enhance student success and improve institutional efficiency.
