AI Can’t Be Top-Down: John Hillsman on Faculty Ownership and Breaking Higher Ed Silos
In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with John Hillsman, Founder and Partner at Access Alliance for Education, to look at today’s AI transformation through the lens of nearly 40 years of change in education and technology.
John has watched higher education navigate everything from VHS and closed-circuit television to the internet, online learning, and digital homework platforms. He sees similarities between those transitions and what institutions are experiencing with AI—but with one major difference: the speed of change is unlike anything higher education has dealt with before.
The conversation explores why successful AI adoption can’t simply come from administrators or technology teams. Faculty need ownership, students need a voice, and institutions need to break down what John calls their “Silos of Excellence.” What works for a business school may look completely different in healthcare, law, or the arts, making collaboration and open dialogue essential.
John also challenges educators to start by simply talking with their students. Instead of banning AI or pretending students aren’t already using it, ask how they’re using it, learn alongside them, and experiment together. As AI changes the relationship between students and educators, the opportunity may be to move beyond the traditional “sage on the stage” and toward a more collaborative model of learning.
