Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Carolina Recchi, CEO at EdSights; Lev Gonick, Enterprise Chief Information Officer at Arizona State University; Christina Yancey, Vice President at AIR (American Institutes for Research); Emily Smith, VP, Strategic Partnerships at CollegeVine; JC Bonilla, COO and Head of AI at Element451; and Tim Renick, Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University.

As institutions pursued stronger engagement and retention, a new wave of Agentic AI tools promised personalized outreach, predictive support, and 24/7 responsiveness. This session explored the transformative potential of scalable connection, early risk detection, and enhanced student experience—while acknowledging that the reality is still unfolding.

Speakers examined critical questions around whether student voices should serve as the key KPI, whether these systems can truly lower costs, empower staff, and increase persistence, and how institutions should evaluate the trade-offs between automation and meaningful human support. The conversation also addressed essential human considerations including privacy, authenticity, and agency as higher education navigates the line between automation and co-intelligence.

By exploring both the promise and the complexity of Agentic AI, this session highlighted how colleges and universities are rethinking recruitment, retention, and student engagement strategies to build more responsive, ethical, and effective systems for learner success.