Key Points
The Future of Navigation and Guidance in the Age of AI
Navigation and guidance is a critical resource, yet it remains woefully under-staffed. This challenge is reaching critical importance with the proliferation of nontraditional college pathways–navigation and guidance will be the foundational component in building emerging pathways into the job market.
The Role of AI in Navigation and Guidance
And while so many higher-ed institutions have invested in AI, limited research exists on the short- and long-term impact that bot-driven advising has on students’ support, advice, and job referrals. With the right tools and market conditions, AI could enable more schools to offer high-end, high-touch supports to students, assert Julia Freeland Fisher and Anna Arsenault of the Clayton Christensen Institute in a new report.
The Limitations of AI-Enabled Guidance
But without the right incentives, bots will be on a path to replace, rather than scale, human connections. Bots can give all sorts of advice and guidance. But their ability to help stops short of the power of warm introductions and referrals–a key aspect of job-getting in today’s labor market. And if we just arm students with better bots but not with broader networks, we’ll be over-investing in information and underinvesting in opportunity.
Trends Shaping Human Relationships in Navigation and Guidance Systems
Even though the market is in its early days, there are signals of what lies ahead. The research identifies 5 key trends shaping human relationships in navigation and guidance systems in the age of AI.
Trend 1: The Blurring of Human- and Bot-Driven Support
The lines between human- and bot-driven support are getting blurrier. How much social-emotional support should bots provide to young people?
Trend 2: Student-Bot Engagement
Both logistical and psychological factors are driving student-bot engagement. When are chatbots expanding access and when are they making isolation more convenient and comfortable?
Trend 3: The Relational Nature of Navigation and Guidance
Today’s navigation and guidance market doesn’t treat relationships as a core outcome. Could navigation and guidance become more relational and networked in the age of AI?
Trend 4: Scaling Relational Work
Leaders are hopeful that AI will enable advisors to take on more relational work as both coaches and connectors. How will the navigation and guidance market need to evolve to prioritize and scale relational work?
Trend 5: Safeguarding and Scaling Human Connection
Despite limited demand for building relationships, innovators are spearheading creative ways to scale human connections. How might we safeguard and scale human connection in the navigation & guidance field in the age of AI?
Conclusion
As AI continues to disrupt traditional forms of human-led guidance, it is crucial that we prioritize the development of bot-driven advising that complements human connection rather than replaces it. By doing so, we can ensure that students have access to the support and resources they need to succeed in the ever-changing job market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the current state of navigation and guidance in higher education?
A: Navigation and guidance is a critical resource, yet it remains woefully under-staffed.
Q: How is AI impacting navigation and guidance?
A: AI has the potential to enable more schools to offer high-end, high-touch supports to students, but it also risks replacing human connections.
Q: What are the key trends shaping human relationships in navigation and guidance systems in the age of AI?
A: The research identifies 5 key trends: the blurring of human- and bot-driven support, student-bot engagement, the relational nature of navigation and guidance, scaling relational work, and safeguarding and scaling human connection.
