This article was written by Tamara Ward-Lucas, a graduate student in The University of Baltimore's M.S. in Artificial Intelligence for Business program. Below the article, read her reaction to a recent forum on the state of AI in higher education.
AI literacy now ranks as the second most important skill employers seek from college graduates, just behind writing. That message came through clearly during a recent Chronicle of Higher Education online forum, "Preparing Students for the AI Workforce," which brought together higher education leaders, workforce experts, and industry representatives to explore how colleges can keep pace with rapid change. Among the panelists was Dr. Jessica Stansbury, founding director of UBalt's Center for AI Learning and Community-Engaged Innovation and director of teaching and learning excellence for the Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Technology.
Dr. Stansbury was joined by Margaret Moffitt, journalist and author of the Chronicle report "Preparing Students for the AI Workforce"; Sid Dobrin, professor of English at the University of Florida; Don Fraser Jr., senior vice president of design and innovation at the Education Design Lab; and Lydia Logan, vice president for global education and workforce development at IBM. The panel centered on a key question: How can colleges prepare students for an AI-driven workforce when technology and employer expectations evolve so quickly?
Employers Want AI Literacy—and Quickly
Opening the discussion, Moffitt summarized findings from her report on how colleges are responding to AI and what employers now expect of graduates. Across sectors, she said employers increasingly want recent graduates to have "at least a basic familiarity with generative AI," including tools like ChatGPT and Claude, and to understand prompt engineering at a practical level.
"Generally speaking, across all professions, I think they want new hires … to have at least a basic familiarity with generative AI," Moffitt said. She added that employers expect graduates to understand AI tools and to grasp prompt engineering. "Maybe not the 500 different strategies for providing the perfect prompt … but at least knowing that you have to keep going back."
Moffitt noted that some jobs will require more advanced technical skills, particularly in areas such as advanced manufacturing and robotics. AI now influences a wide range of fields, including sales, where AI systems can generate follow-up emails once written by teams. Even when new college graduates are not familiar with specific systems they may encounter, employers expect openness and adaptability.
"[New graduates] need to have an open mind and be willing to learn," Moffitt said.
Beyond Tools: AI as a Humanistic and Societal Question
Panelists emphasized that AI education cannot stop at how-to guides and interface tips. AI skill sets, they said, should include critical thinking about how these systems shape institutions, professions, and communities.
Moffitt highlighted Lake Forest College, a small liberal arts institution in suburban Chicago, which has created a minor aimed at humanities majors that treats AI as an object of anthropological and social inquiry. She said the program focuses less on technical skill-building and more on examining AI's broader impact.
"Rather than being a skills-based curriculum, this is examining the impact that AI is having on society," she said.
Moffitt said she found it "really cool" that colleges are thinking this way at the start of what she called the "AI revolution."
A 'Critical Embrace' of AI at UBalt
At The University of Baltimore, AI integration is closely tied to career readiness for a largely nontraditional student population.
"We are a community engaged institution," Dr. Stansbury said. "Our job is to make sure that our students are prepared for the workforce."
With AI evolving rapidly, Stansbury said the University approaches this technology from multiple angles: literacy, application, and critical evaluation of risks and benefits.
"It's really important that we look at it from different avenues," Stansbury said, noting that the University teaches both foundational understanding and how AI applies across professions.
"We take a critical embrace approach," she said. "We can't ban AI literacy, but we can also not ignore the risk that come with AI."
According to Stansbury, hiring managers value openness and effectiveness in AI use.
"Employers aren't looking for those who hide AI use," Stansbury said. "They're looking for those who can use it effectively and transparently."
To stay aligned with workforce needs, Stansbury said, UBalt works with industry partners and integrates real-world perspectives into classrooms and events. One step the University has taken is securing donor funding to provide campuswide access to BoodleBox, a platform that connects users to multiple AI models.
"One of the first things we did was to make sure that everybody had access," Dr. Stansbury said. "If we don't provide access, how are we supposed to get them there?"
The BoodleBox platform helps students move beyond use of a single tool, she said. By providing them access to multiple engines, "We learn the what, the why, the how, and the when of generative AI, which I believe, prepares the students more deeply than just focusing on one platform or one tool."
A National Shift in Expectations
Dobrin, who has visited nearly 80 campuses and testified before the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee, described a broader shift across education systems.
"We're seeing states combining their departments of education with their departments of labor," he said.
Dobrin noted that about 30 more states are considering similar moves to better align education with workforce needs. Meanwhile, employer expectations are also in shift.
"Written communication still remains the number one skill set," Dobrin said. "But AI literacy is now the second."
Employers, he added, value not just technical ability but an understanding of data security, privacy, and broader concepts.
Community Colleges, IBM, and the Work Ahead
Fraser said community colleges are well positioned to respond to AI because of their close ties to regional labor markets. He emphasized designing solutions for real learners, including those with limited access to opportunity.
Logan shared IBM's perspective on AI through its SkillsBuild platform, which offers free AI-related learning for schools, governments, and nonprofits. She said IBM aligns the platform with workforce needs and supports faculty through training initiatives.
Logan described the ways that work is increasingly organized around "blended teams of humans and AI agents," where humans focus on judgment and collaboration while AI handles tasks such as drafting and data analysis.
Throughout the discussion, panelists acknowledged challenges. Dobrin noted that curriculum change is often slow, while Stansbury said faculty concerns about AI are decreasing as familiarity grows, even as student concerns about fairness are on the rise.
One theme remained consistent: Students and employers are already adapting. Dobrin noted that students are sharing information online about how instructors use AI and are making course enrollment decisions accordingly—effectively "voting with their feet."
The takeaway of the Chronicle discussion was clear: Institutions that move thoughtfully but decisively, grounded in partnerships, real-world needs, and an evolving understanding of AI literacy, will be best positioned to prepare students for an AI-driven economy.
A Student's Perspective: Learning and Leading in the AI Era
"As a graduate student and one of the first cohorts in the Merrick School of Business's M.S. in Artificial Intelligence for Business program at The University of Baltimore, this discussion resonated deeply with me," said Ward-Lucas. "After building a career as a federal government communicator and journalist who has unexpectedly re-entered the job market, I recognize how essential AI literacy has become for professional resilience and growth.
"As a mother of a college student, I want my child to have the skills and confidence to thrive in a workplace transformed by AI. The panel reinforced that preparation must start early and not limited to one tool, inspiring me to help advance AI literacy among high school students so they can enter higher education and future careers ready to lead responsibly.
"UBalt's M.S. in Artificial Intelligence for Business program reflects that vision—blending innovation with ethics, governance, and human impact. Conversations like this panel discussion encourage all of us, students and educators alike, to approach AI with curiosity, care, and purpose."