Fall 2026 Recommendations for AI in Higher Education

The situation in academia is dire. More students are failing than ever and, worse, others are passing without being able to apply the expected skills the following semester, only to find themselves unable to get a job after graduation. Classes are empty, morale is low, socialization is at its lowest, and no one knows what to do about AI. Both MIT and, closer to our local reality, Coimbra1 have released reports on AI in education and offered recommendations for action. Here, I present the recommendations I agree with, the one I do not, and a short list of the actions I consider most important. Worrying Data Points Success rates are decreasing. Each year, the number of failing students increases. Furthermore, grades no longer form a bimodal distribution: I have been awarding more 20s (out of 20) than ever, and more grades below 4 than ever. The difference between the two modes is larger than ever. Attendance is decreasing. This is happening all over Portugal, but also at universities…