QUIET REVOLUTION: HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

This research examines the quiet revolution fostered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, exploring its transformative impacts, challenges, and prospects. Through a qualitative approach, combining bibliographic research and case studies in three Brazilian higher education institutions, the study reveals how AI is fundamentally reshaping the educational landscape. The results indicate that AI is enabling the personalization of learning at scale, democratizing access to knowledge, amplifying operational efficiency, and aligning education with future labor market demands. However, significant challenges also emerge, including ethical issues related to privacy and data protection, the need to redefine the role of the educator, ensure digital inclusion, and adapt traditional institutional structures. The study projects future scenarios for higher education in the next 10 to 20 years, highlighting the potential of AI as a catalyst for perpetual innovation in the sector. It is concluded that the success of this transformation depends on the active and collaborative participation of educators, institutions and students in shaping an educational future that is innovative, inclusive and human-centered. The research emphasizes the importance of balancing enthusiasm for technological innovation with careful consideration of ethical and social impacts, aiming to create an educational ecosystem that not only harnesses the potential of AI but also preserves and enriches the core values of higher education.