EDUCAUSE released poll results highlighting procurement challenges institutions face when buying artificial intelligence tools and services. The survey found that AI-related purchasing decisions grow harder due to the complexity of establishing governance frameworks and the speed at which AI technologies evolve.
Procurement professionals across higher education institutions struggle with vendor selection and contract negotiations when AI systems lack clear regulatory standards or institutional policies. The rapid development cycle of AI products means solutions purchased today may become outdated or require significant updates within months. Governance confusion compounds the problem. Most institutions lack formal AI policies, leaving procurement teams without clear guidelines on what systems align with institutional values, data security needs, or ethical standards.
EDUCAUSE recommends two core strategies for successful AI procurement. First, institutions should align purchasing decisions with a deliberate, documented institutional AI strategy. This approach ensures vendors chosen support broader goals rather than solving isolated problems. Second, procurement professionals should prioritize vendors demonstrating commitment to transparency. This includes clear documentation of how AI models work, what data they use, how they handle privacy, and what risks exist.
Transparency from vendors matters because institutions need visibility into algorithmic decision-making, bias testing, and data handling practices. Without this information, colleges and universities cannot adequately assess risks or ensure compliance with their own policies and legal obligations.
The EDUCAUSE findings reflect a wider higher education problem. Most institutions still lack mature AI governance structures. Procurement teams often move faster than policy development, creating situations where institutions buy AI tools without adequate frameworks to evaluate them. The poll results suggest procurement success requires a deliberate, strategic approach rather than reactive purchasing.
Institutions beginning AI procurement should start by developing or updating institutional AI strategy, establishing governance committees, and creating vendor evaluation criteria aligned with that strategy. This groundwork enables procurement professionals to make faster, better-informed decisions as AI adoption accelerates.