According to the report, titled The Shift Ahead: HBCUs, Artificial Intelligence, and a New Vision for Higher Education, 98 percent of students, 96 percent of faculty and 81 percent of administrators at HBCUs have used AI for personal or academic purposes. However, fewer than half of surveyed faculty and administrators say their institutions have formally implemented AI tools, and 23 percent of faculty and 33 percent of administrators were unsure if their institution used AI at all — a sign that AI adoption is largely driven by individual experimentation.
Among 235 survey responses from the HBCU community were 55 students, 47 faculty and 133 administrators. It is a more focused look at AI adoption and builds upon Ellucian’s 2024 national AI survey, which also found high enthusiasm for AI across higher ed. For example, 84 percent of respondents in the national survey reported using AI for work or personal purposes.
At HBCUs, students reported a strong appetite for AI in their education, with 84 percent saying AI improved the quality of their schoolwork and 82 percent saying they expect to use it extensively in their careers. More than half of students asked for formal coursework on AI, including certifications and access to advanced AI tools. Formal structures in schools may help close digital divides, as roughly 1 in 5 students said cost or unreliable Internet are barriers to AI use.
“As HBCU leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure that our students have access to cutting-edge tools that will help them understand and successfully employ AI in their everyday lives,” Melva Wallace, president and CEO of HTU, said in a public statement.
Faculty and administrators reported similar enthusiasm but also concerns over readiness. Eighty percent of faculty and 87 percent of administrators called for AI training, favoring role-specific learning over general tutorials. Many faculty are already using generative AI to build lesson plans, create rubrics and give students personalized feedback. At the same time, they raised concerns over algorithmic bias and academic integrity.
According to the report, HBCUs could model AI adoption that prioritizes equity, community input and governance to expand instructional capacity and improve workforce alignment. This kind of intentional adoption requires infrastructure, data governance and investment.
The report recommends that institutions audit and integrate data systems, build role-based professional learning tracks, establish collaborative governance bodies and work AI into institutional planning.
“HBCUs have always turned constraint into creativity and challenge into change. This report underscores that AI is no different — our students and faculty are embracing the tools of the future, but transformative access, training, and investment will determine whether this revolution narrows or widens opportunity,” Ed Smith-Lewis, senior vice president of strategic partnerships and institutional programs at UNCF, said in a public statement. “We must ensure that HBCUs not only keep pace with AI, but shape its trajectory in ways that center our communities, unlock talent, and expand pathways to economic and social mobility.”
