AI Is Not the New DEI: Academia’s Addiction to the Next Big Thing

Every August, as campuses come back to life across the country and the world, I notice the same rhythm: new policies announced, committees formed, webinars scheduled, and fall conferences themed around the latest 'big thing.' This fall? No surprise. The wave is artificial intelligence. AI task forces are meeting weekly. Universities are drafting 'responsible AI' policies. New centers and certificates are being launched. Syllabi are being rewritten. Symposia and faculty retreats promise that AI will 'redefine the future of education.' It is bold. It is ambitious. But it is also deeply familiar.