AI won’t replace universities, teachers — CHED

ILOILO City – Universities that fail to adapt to artificial intelligence (AI) risk being left behind in a rapidly changing educational landscape, but even the most advanced technology cannot replace human educators or make higher education institutions obsolete, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis declared.

Speaking before international education leaders and policymakers gathered in Iloilo City, Agrupis challenged universities across Southeast Asia to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) while preserving the human experience, critical thinking and intellectual judgment that machines cannot replicate.

She emphasized that the future of higher education depends not on resisting technological disruption but on harnessing innovation to strengthen instruction, research and community development.

“Will artificial intelligence, the rapid transformation of how knowledge is produced, assessed, and applied, eventually make universities obsolete? From a Southeast Asian perspective, my answer is ‘no’,” Agrupis declared.

“‘No’ not because our universities are immune to disruptions, but because our region is taking concrete steps to build future-ready higher education systems,” Agrupis added.

Her remarks came amid growing concerns over the increasing use of AI in classrooms, academic research and student requirements, raising questions about the future relevance of universities and the role of teachers in an increasingly automated world.

Agrupis maintained that higher education institutions remain indispensable because their responsibilities extend beyond transmitting information to developing individuals capable of navigating complex social, economic and global challenges.

AI NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HUMAN INTELLIGENCE

The CHED chief drew a clear distinction between the technological efficiency of artificial intelligence and the depth of human intelligence developed through actual experiences.

“Artificial intelligence and human intelligence are two different things. Artificial intelligence ay nag de-depende sa mga data na ibinibigay sa kanya. It is efficient, it gives real time data and napakadali mag-integrate ng mga data available in seconds and in minutes. Magbibigay siya ng trends and analysis – and those are dependent on the data given it,” Agrupis told reporters.

Human intelligence, on the other hand, draws from lived experiences, accumulated knowledge and the capacity to connect past events with present circumstances and future possibilities, she stressed.

Agrupis stressed that these fundamental differences reinforce the continuing importance of educators in shaping students’ intellectual development and preparing them for real-world challenges.

CHED PUSHES AI INTEGRATION

Rather than prohibiting AI in schools, CHED is encouraging higher education institutions nationwide to integrate the technology into their core academic functions.

Agrupis warned that universities refusing to adopt technological innovations could lose their competitive edge as education systems and workforce requirements evolve.

“Yes, of course. We encourage the use of artificial intelligence because if we don’t encourage the use of AI in all the core functions of the university instruction, research, and extension- we will be left behind,” she said.

To guide its responsible adoption, CHED, together with government partners, has issued a Commission Memorandum Order establishing a national policy framework on AI use in higher education.

The framework is being rolled out across higher education institutions nationwide, with particular attention to maintaining academic integrity and preventing excessive dependence on AI-generated content.

Agrupis said AI-generated material in student narratives, academic papers, theses and dissertations should, as much as possible, not exceed 20 percent.

“We, in the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), together with our government sector, we issued a CMO on the national polices on the use of AI. It is now being used as a framework of all Higher Education Institutions. We should not go beyond 20% as much as possible in the use of AI on the use of AI in the narratives and thesis dissertations etc,” Dr. Agrupis said.

The policy reflects CHED’s effort to balance technological advancement with the need to ensure that students continue developing independent analytical, research and critical-thinking abilities.

$1-TRILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT

Agrupis also warned that universities must prepare for sweeping technological and economic transformations that could reshape employment opportunities and development priorities across Southeast Asia.

Citing the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia’s 2025 study, Harnessing AI for ASEAN’s Future, she said artificial intelligence could contribute between 10 percent and 18 percent of ASEAN’s gross domestic product by 2030.

That contribution could approach $1 trillion, underscoring the enormous economic potential of AI and the urgency of equipping students with skills needed in technology-driven industries.

Despite these projections, Agrupis pointed to a significant regional preparedness gap, noting that only six ASEAN member states have published explicit national AI strategies.

She identified climate change, extreme weather disturbances, geopolitical instability, changing demographics and shifting student perceptions about the value of university degrees as additional challenges confronting higher education.

These pressures, she emphasized, require universities to continuously transform their programs, strengthen their responsiveness and prepare graduates for increasingly uncertain global conditions.

ILOILO HOSTS REGIONAL EDUCATION SUMMIT

Agrupis delivered her remarks during the 2026 CHED and SEAMEO RIHED Higher Education Week, held from October 13 to 16 at SotoGrande Hotel in Iloilo City.

The four-day international gathering, organized in partnership with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development (SEAMEO RIHED), supports the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship in 2026.

The event brought together senior education officials, university presidents, researchers and policymakers from Southeast and East Asia to discuss strategies for transforming higher education systems.

Following the 34th SEAMEO RIHED Governing Board Meeting on October 13, delegates participated in the Regional Policy Conference on Future-Ready Higher Education on October 14.

Discussions centered on digital transformation, future workforce competencies, quality assurance, internationalization and regional student mobility.

For Agrupis, the survival of universities is not the central question confronting higher education in the age of artificial intelligence.

The greater challenge is whether academic institutions can transform themselves quickly enough to harness emerging technologies without sacrificing the human intelligence, experience and values that make education indispensable.

Her message to universities was clear: Embrace artificial intelligence or risk falling behind — but never allow technology to replace the human foundations of education./PN