Colleges and universities struggle to buy artificial intelligence tools because AI governance remains muddled and technology evolves faster than institutions can keep up, according to EDUCAUSE research.
EDUCAUSE surveyed procurement professionals at higher education institutions about their approach to purchasing AI systems. The results expose a gap between institutional readiness and market speed. Procurement staff report difficulty evaluating AI vendors when governance frameworks remain unclear and technology capabilities shift monthly.
The organization recommends two concrete strategies. First, procurement professionals should anchor purchasing decisions to their institution's AI strategy rather than chasing every new capability. This alignment prevents scattered spending and ensures tools serve defined institutional goals. Second, they should prioritize vendors willing to operate transparently about how their systems work, what data they collect, and what risks they pose.
The timing matters. Many colleges rushed into ChatGPT and other generative AI tools without formal procurement processes or governance structures in place. Now procurement offices face pressure to formalize purchasing while the technology landscape remains unstable. A vendor's AI model today might become obsolete or unsafe in six months.
EDUCAUSE, which advises 2,000+ colleges on technology strategy, frames this as a solvable problem rather than a permanent obstacle. Institutions that establish clear AI governance first, then align procurement with those standards, gain advantage. They can negotiate better terms, demand accountability, and avoid locking into inferior or opaque systems.
The research suggests procurement professionals hold more power than they realize. By demanding transparency and alignment with institutional strategy, they can shape how colleges adopt AI rather than simply reacting to vendor offerings.
WHY IT MATTERS: As colleges spend millions on AI tools, procurement decisions today determine whether institutions maintain control over technology or become dependent on vendor preferences and capabilities.