EDUCAUSE surveyed higher education procurement professionals about challenges in purchasing artificial intelligence tools and services. The results highlight a stark mismatch between institutional readiness and market complexity.
Procurement teams report that AI acquisition decisions are hampered by evolving governance frameworks and the speed at which AI capabilities change. Many institutions lack clear policies on what AI systems they should buy, how to evaluate them, and who should approve purchases. This creates bottlenecks as procurement staff wait for campus leaders to establish AI strategy before moving forward.
The QuickPoll findings underscore a critical gap in higher education. While colleges and universities rush to adopt generative AI and other machine learning tools for teaching, research, and operations, the systems for purchasing these tools remain underdeveloped. Procurement professionals struggle to assess vendor claims, compare competing products, and ensure compliance with emerging institutional AI governance rules.
EDUCAUSE recommends two concrete steps. First, institutions should anchor AI procurement decisions to a documented AI strategy. This means campuses need to define which AI applications align with their mission, what risks they will accept, and what governance bodies will oversee purchases. Without this foundation, procurement becomes reactive and fragmented.
Second, procurement teams should prioritize working with vendors who embrace transparency. This means solution providers should clearly explain how their AI systems work, what data they use, how they handle privacy, and what biases might affect outcomes. Transparency allows procurement professionals to make informed decisions and institutions to assess alignment with their values.
The challenge reflects a broader education sector problem. AI adoption is outpacing institutional governance. Schools are integrating ChatGPT and similar tools into classrooms and operations faster than they can develop purchasing frameworks, risk policies, or faculty training. EDUCAUSE's findings suggest the solution begins not in the vendor marketplace but in campus leadership. Institutions that establish clear AI strategy first will find procurement easier, faster, and more defensible.