The use of artificial intelligence is growing by leaps and bounds in almost every aspect of everyday life – including student learning and in the workforce. Now one educational institution is devising strategies and guidelines for the responsible and effective use of AI both in the college’s learning environment and in preparation for the use of AI as students enter the rapidly-evolving workforce.

At the November 3 meeting of the business community steering committee at Houston City College’s Katy campus at 22910 Colonial Parkway in Katy, Andrea Burridge, HCC’s Vice Chancellor, Strategy, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness, outlined the steps that the college system is taking to create those strategies and guidelines.

Artificial intelligence is changing the skills expected in nearly every industry, Burridge said. “Students are already using AI, but their access, knowledge and skills are uneven,” she said. “Education and industry need shared expectations for preparing students to use AI effectively.”

HCC is starting its approach to responsible AI usage using six core beliefs, Burridge said:

· Human judgment must remain central

· Learning outcomes must drive AI adoption

· Responsible and transparent AI use is essential

· Assessments must evolve for an AI-enabled world

· AI implementation must be discipline-specific

· Industry collaboration must inform workforce preparation

There are three central pillars of HCC’s approach:

· Learn: developing practical AI literacy; understanding opportunities, limitations and risks, and learning from industry and emerging practices

· Apply: moving from understanding to practical use, including evaluating, refining and scaling with human judgment and responsible use

· Protect: including protection of originality, privacy, safety and accountability, and teaching students to question AI-generated answers

The use of AI by HCC’s faculty is still developing, Burridge said. While 84 percent are familiar with AI, just 72 percent use it in teaching and only 42 percent use it for planning and materials. But 72 percent of the faculty believe AI can improve student learning, she said.

Responsible AI use is the foundation of HCC’s policy development, Burridge said. That includes privacy and security, including protection of student data, along with its responsible use. HCC is also working to ensure equity in access to AI across all programs and disciplines, including making AI tools available in its learning labs. Accuracy and reliability, as well as transparency and accountability, round out HCC’s policy development.

As it develops its AI policies, HCC is moving quickly in some areas but much more carefully in others, Burridge said. HCC is moving quickly in the areas of AI literacy, teaching and learning pilots, workforce-aligned credentials, faculty and student support and industry-informed learning and credentials. The institution is moving much more cautiously in handling high-risk student decisions, confidential and personally identifiable information, large-scale automation and any uses which would require significant human oversight.

HCC has established an “AI Hub” along with AI guidelines on its website, which may be viewed at hccs.edu/aihub and hccs.edu/aiguidelines.

HCC is now building new systems for assessment and learning integrity, determining if students are developing the intended skills or whether AI created an “illusion of learning.” The school will help faculty use AI purposefully as a tutor, coach and learning partner, Burridge said. The college is also defining what every HCC graduate should know and be able to do with AI and plans to measure when AI actually improves learning, readiness, access and engagement.

Preparing students for the changing workforce requires collaboration, Burridge said. HCC needs to work with local independent school districts to build AI literacy and to understand its limitations, to verify information and to recognize responsible use. AI should be used purposefully in instruction, career exploration, advising and authentic problem-solving, Burridge said, while preserving learning, privacy, originality, equity, human connection and judgement.

Business and industry should define evolving workforce capabilities. HCC plans to bring industry perspectives into the program and to help establish expectations for security, confidentiality, accountability and human oversight.

HCC still has many questions to explore, Burridge said:

· When should learning be AI-free?

· When should AI be encouraged, limited, required or prohibited?

· How does HCC ensure equitable access to AI for all students?

· How will the human connection be preserved?

HCC will complete faculty, staff and student surveys to better understand AI readiness, expectations and needs, Burridge said. The college system will also collaborate with local school districts, advisory boards and other partners to understand the needs of the community. HCC

will refine its AI framework to define institutional principles and expectations for AI across teaching, learning, workforce preparation, operations and governance, Burridge said. That will allow the college system to identify implications for curriculum, faculty practice, assessment, credentials and workforce alignment, governance and responsible use.

“I don’t know of another college system anywhere that is doing anything like this,” said Zachary Hodges, president of HCC Northwest said at the conclusion of Burridge’s presentation.

Business and community leaders at the meeting explored the challenges of teaching responsible AI use and recognized that students who do not develop AI literacy may be disadvantaged in the future workforce. The conversation also addressed how rapidly changing technology is transforming both education and industry. The meeting concluded with an emphasis on continuing initiatives and community partnerships to help HCC respond proactively to technological and workforce changes.

“HCC is committed to thoughtfully integrating AI into education while maintaining its focus on student success, academic integrity, durable skills, human judgment, and workforce readiness,” an HCC spokesperson said following the meeting. “Continued collaboration with business and industry will be essential to ensuring students are prepared to succeed in an increasingly technology-driven workplace.”