AI Readiness Assessment

The First Step Toward Institution-Wide AI Strategy

AI is moving faster than institutional alignment.

Across higher education, AI activity is expanding rapidly—but at most institutions, adoption is uneven, governance is underdeveloped, and leadership lacks a clear view of where risk and opportunity exist. Carnegie’s AI Readiness Assessment gives presidents and cabinet leaders a clear picture of their institution’s current state and a practical starting point for responsible, institution-wide action.

What you’ll gain:

  • A clear view of your institution’s AI readiness today
  • Insight into gaps, risks, and high-priority opportunities
  • A practical roadmap for what leadership should do next

Interested in Learning More About the AI Readiness Assessment?

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Why This Matters Now

AI is already affecting nearly every function of the institution—from enrollment and marketing to academics, student support, operations, and research. It is no longer a point solution or isolated experiment. For colleges and universities, AI is becoming an institution-wide leadership challenge that must be governed, prioritized, and scaled responsibly.

Most institutions are experimenting with AI. Very few are organized around it.

94%

Higher ed professionals report using AI tools in their work

~50%

Are aware of institutional policies guiding AI use

56%

Say their institution is not prepared for an AI-driven future

How the Assessment Works

1. Assess

We evaluate where your institution stands today across the areas that shape successful AI adoption, including how AI is being used, what capabilities already exist, and where important gaps remain. This gives leadership a clearer, evidence-based starting point for planning what comes next.

2. Benchmark

We compare your readiness against peer and sector context to identify strengths, risks, and areas where leadership alignment is missing. The goal is not just to understand activity, but to understand how prepared your institution is to move forward responsibly.

3. Prioritize

We translate findings into a clear executive-level readout and practical roadmap—helping your leadership team align around what to do next, where to focus first, and what should wait.

What We Evaluate

Carnegie’s AI Readiness Assessment measures institutional readiness across eight core dimensions:

  • Strategy & leadership alignment
  • Governance & responsible AI
  • Data & infrastructure
  • Technology & tools
  • Talent, skills, and culture
  • Student success & engagement
  • Institutional research & analytics
  • Teaching & learning

This structure helps leadership understand not just whether AI is present on campus, but whether the institution has the conditions in place to support responsible, scalable adoption.

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What You’ll Walk Away With

The AI Readiness Assessment gives leadership more than visibility into current AI activity.

It creates the clarity needed to make smarter decisions about where to focus, what to govern, and how to move forward as an institution.

With a clearer view of readiness, your team can:

  • Align around institutional priorities
  • Identify where risk and opportunity are emerging
  • Make more confident decisions about investment and sequencing
  • Build a stronger foundation for responsible, institution-wide AI adoption
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Why Carnegie

Carnegie brings a higher-ed–specific, leadership-first approach to AI readiness.

Built for higher education
This assessment is designed around the realities of institutional leadership, governance, and cross-campus adoption—not generic AI consulting.

Focused on alignment, not just tools
Carnegie’s broader AI strategy is grounded in the idea that institutions need help establishing shared understanding, readiness, governance, and an executable roadmap before they scale AI.

Designed to inform what comes next
The assessment does not stop at diagnosis. It gives your institution a clear baseline for action and helps leadership move toward a more coordinated AI strategy.

Common Questions About the AI Readiness Assessment

What is Carnegie’s AI Readiness Assessment?

Carnegie’s AI Readiness Assessment is a structured evaluation that helps college and university leaders understand their institution’s current AI adoption, governance, risks, and opportunities. It provides a benchmarked view of readiness and a practical roadmap for institution-wide AI strategy.

Who is the AI Readiness Assessment designed for?

The assessment is built for presidents and cabinet leaders who need a clear, evidence-based picture of where their institution stands and what leadership should do next.

What areas does the assessment evaluate?

Carnegie evaluates eight core dimensions: strategy and leadership alignment, governance and responsible AI, data and infrastructure, technology and tools, talent and culture, student success and engagement, institutional research and analytics, and teaching and learning.

How does the assessment process work?

The process moves through three phases: assessing current AI activity and capabilities, benchmarking against peer and sector context, and translating findings into an executive-level readout with a prioritized roadmap.

Why do higher education institutions need an AI readiness assessment now?

AI is already affecting enrollment, marketing, academics, student support, operations, and research, yet 56% of higher ed professionals say their institution is not prepared for an AI-driven future. Most institutions are experimenting with AI but are not yet organized around it.

Ready to Get Started?

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Ready to Understand Your Institution’s AI Readiness?

Before you scale AI, you need to understand where your institution stands today.

Carnegie’s AI Readiness Assessment gives your leadership team a clear, benchmarked view of current readiness—and a practical path forward.

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