EDUCAUSE surveyed higher education procurement professionals about buying artificial intelligence tools and found that institutions face mounting obstacles when purchasing AI systems. The complexity of AI governance structures and the speed at which AI technologies evolve create friction in the buying process.
Procurement teams working across colleges and universities struggle to evaluate AI vendors because institutions lack clear internal standards for what they need. Many schools have not yet established formal AI governance policies that would guide purchasing decisions. Procurement professionals report difficulty comparing products when vendors use inconsistent terminology or obscure how their systems work.
The survey results point to a gap between what institutions want from AI solutions and what the market currently offers. Vendors often cannot explain their products' limitations, bias risks, or data handling practices in ways procurement teams understand. This opacity makes it harder for schools to assess whether an AI tool aligns with their values or complies with regulations.
EDUCAUSE recommends that procurement professionals anchor their buying strategy to their institution's broader AI plan. Schools should establish clear AI governance frameworks before seeking vendors. These frameworks should address data privacy, algorithmic bias, intellectual property, and how the technology will be used in teaching and administration.
Working with vendors committed to transparency helps institutions make better decisions. Procurement teams should require vendors to document their training data sources, explain how their systems make decisions, and disclose known risks. Schools should also demand regular audits and the ability to review how their data flows through the system.
Higher education institutions buying AI tools face a maturing market. Early adopters discovered problems with hastily purchased systems that didn't integrate with campus infrastructure or raised unexpected privacy concerns. As procurement becomes more strategic rather than reactive, institutions that align AI purchases with governance policies will better serve students and faculty while protecting institutional interests.