In the first part of this two-part blog series, we examined the game changing potential of artificial intelligence. Now let’s look at the pitfalls you should avoid when using it. While AI offers substantial benefits for higher education enrollment and marketing, there are drawbacks and concerns that enrollment and marketing leaders should consider before jumping in.
First, there can be privacy and security concerns. AI systems rely heavily on vast amounts of personal data to function effectively. This raises privacy and security concerns, particularly in the context of higher education, where institutions must comply with data protection regulations such as FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
Failure to adequately protect this data can lead to breaches that damage the institution’s reputation and result in legal ramifications.
AI is only as good as the data it is trained on.
Second, there can be a potential for bias and discrimination with AI. AI systems are only as good as the data they are trained on. If the training data contains biases, the AI can perpetuate and even amplify these biases in its outputs.
This is concerning in the context of student recruitment, where biased algorithms could inadvertently favor or disadvantage certain groups of students. Institutions must implement rigorous processes to monitor, audit, and mitigate biases in AI algorithms to ensure equitable treatment of all prospective students.
Third, the reduced human interaction that comes with AI can be harmful. While AI can automate many aspects of recruitment marketing, an over-reliance on technology can reduce personal interactions and relationships that often make the difference in influencing a student’s decision to enroll.
Over-automating may lead to a lack of personalized engagement, which can alienate prospective students. Enrollment and marketing leaders must find a balance between leveraging AI for efficiency and maintaining meaningful human connections.
In a competitive landscape where institutions must carve out distinctive brand voice, generative AI tools simply cannot replace skilled marketing and creative professionals.
Finally, the overuse of AI can lead to reduced creativity. For busy recruitment and marketing professionals, generative AI tools are an incredible time saver. With platforms like ChatGPT, Scribe, and Microsoft CoPilot, anyone can be a content creator. Whether it’s writing an email, creating social posts, or brainstorming blog ideas, these tools often seem like a game changer.
But in a competitive landscape where institutions must carve out distinctive brand voice, generative AI tools simply cannot replace skilled marketing and creative professionals.
AI can provide an assist, but human oversight is required to ensure that communications are authentic, unique, compelling and true to the institution’s brand.
This blog was taken from the Capture Higher Ed executive brief, “AI in Action: Advanced Strategies for Enrollment Marketing.”
