University students will ‘vote with their feet’ over AI
US university chief to deliver warning to late adopters at Chelmsford Science Festival
The Provost of the University of Florida – America’s first “AI university” – believes students will “vote with their feet” and reject universities that are slow to fully embrace the latest technology.
Professor Joe Glover, who is responsible for academic affairs at the University of Florida, will deliver the warning during a keynote address at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Chelmsford today [Wednesday, 22 October].
Speaking as part of the 2025 Chelmsford Science Festival, Professor Glover will outline how the University of Florida became the national leader for AI in the US, and will caution that universities that struggle to adapt will be left behind.
The Building AI Universities event at the Chelmsford Science Festival will bring together leaders in AI and education to showcase international best practices and inspire a forward-looking roadmap for AI-powered higher education.
The University of Florida became an early adopter of AI in 2020 when it acquired HiPerGator, one of the world’s fastest supercomputers. It now has more than 300 AI academics dedicated to research, teaching and innovation.
In 2022, the university launched its AI² Center, which coordinates its strategy and supports the integration of AI across all disciplines. Today, it offers over 230 AI-related courses, making AI literacy accessible to every student, regardless of their discipline.
“Students will vote with their feet. If they don’t see AI embedded in a university’s curriculum, they will choose another institution that equips them with the AI literacy and competence employers demand.
“The most effective approach is to empower each academic discipline to adopt AI in ways that suit their teaching and research, whether that’s fintech in business or robotics in agriculture, while fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration and establishing clear ethical guidelines.
“An AI University is a university that integrates AI into teaching, research, outreach and operations so that it becomes part of the university’s DNA. But creating an AI university is about more than providing a technological tool. It requires structured support, including professional development for faculty, guidance for students on responsible use, and ensuring all graduates leave with the critical thinking, adaptability, and teamwork skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
“By embracing this conceptual model, AI universities can strengthen their leadership in education, innovation, and global competitiveness and light the way for society at large to benefit from this technology.”
Professor Joe Glover of the University of Florida, commenting ahead of the eventProfessor Glover also warns that AI adoption is a challenge facing all sectors, not just higher education.
“AI will be a driving force in every advanced economy. If the UK is not to be left behind, it must engage vigorously with AI: building a deep AI-enabled talent pool, equipping researchers with cutting-edge tools to solve the nation’s most complex challenges, and enabling businesses and public services to harness AI effectively. Only by doing so can the UK remain globally competitive.”
Professor Joe Glover, Provost of the University of FloridaAnglia Ruskin University Vice Chancellor Professor Roderick Watkins will join Professor Glover for a discussion session, where he will set out ARU’s AI vision and explain how AI is currently used across the university.
“We are committed to responsible, transparent and inclusive AI that puts people first – protecting privacy, promoting fairness and supporting wellbeing. Our AI strategy is rooted in solving real-world challenges, from healthcare and misinformation to sustainability and smart campuses. This is positioning ARU as a national leader in responsible, applied AI use in UK higher education.
“Our goal is to equip students and staff with the skills, literacy and confidence to thrive in an AI-driven world and current initiatives already underway at ARU include AI-assisted marking pilots and automation in services, as well as interdisciplinary research.
“We envision a future where AI is seamlessly embedded across teaching, learning, research and operations, helping to make education and research more accessible, personalised, efficient and impactful for students and staff.”
Professor Roderick Watkins, Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin UniversityOther speakers at the free, public event include Professor Khaled Benkrid, Senior Director of Education and Research at Arm and a Visiting Professor in Computing at ARU, Kurt Schmidt, the University of Florida's partnership manager with AI leaders NVIDIA, and Carwyn Cook, Vice President at global IT and business consulting services firm CGI.
“The universities that will achieve the best outcomes in the years ahead are those that see AI as core to their proposition and integral to the student experience. By embracing AI across learning, teaching and research, they can build the confidence, trust and capability needed across the academic community.
“By working in partnership with industry, universities can turn AI ambition into responsible, scalable adoption that keeps them at the forefront of innovation and societal impact and equips students with the skills needed in today’s economy.”
Carwyn Cook, Vice President at global IT and business consulting services firm CGIBuilding AI Universities is one of 30 events at this year’s Chelmsford Science Festival, which runs from 21-28 October. The theme of this year’s festival is “Our AI World – Power and Perils”.