Presidential Session - The Impact of GenAI on Industry and Academics

Description

STC Roundtable: Emerging Technologies & Learner-Centric Innovation

Division and Session Format:
Systems Thinking and Change: Panel Discussion

Short Description:
The rapid emergence and adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) have sparked a paradigm shift in industry and academia, necessitating a comprehensive examination of its impact. As GenAI becomes deeply integrated into daily practices, engaging in interdisciplinary discussions to explore its implications, challenges, and future trajectories is crucial. Experts come together for a dynamic exchange of ideas, examining the current state of GenAI and discussing pathways toward responsible and innovative applications.

Abstract:
Emerging themes from the literature highlight the importance of human-AI collaboration, the need for continuous learning and adaptation, and GenAI's potential to address global challenges in education and industry. The panel will discuss these themes and offer insights into how they may shape future research and practice in instructional design.

The panel’s experts represent a larger international community of practice working together to explore the impacts and application of GenAI across the fields related to instructional technology. This team is at the beginning of its collaboration, having identified its initial analysis with 61 articles, including 4 scoping reviews, 8 systematic reviews, and 2 meta-analyses, covering research from the areas of instructional design, AI research, education, healthcare, business and industry, and ethics, these professionals have met regularly to discuss topics that bridge disciplines and help to inform a systematic understanding of what GenAI means for the future of instructional design.

Different disciplines are learning how to incorporate GenAI. For instance, in education, GenAI has demonstrated potential for enhancing personalized learning experiences (Wang, Leng, & Zainuddin, 2024), automating administrative tasks, and providing intelligent tutoring systems (Yu & Guo, 2023). However, concerns about academic integrity, the digital divide (Nedungadi, Tang, & Raman, 2024), and the changing role of educators have also emerged (Zhai, 2021). In industry, employees need to know how to use GenAI as part of their knowledge, skills, and abilities. When exploring workforce development, hardware and software implications of GenAI and its future phases are also significant industry players in this race (Ogunleye, 2024). Attention will be given to the impact on workforce development and the evolving skill requirements for employees in a GenAI-enhanced workplace (Rajaram & Tinguely, 2024), including being aware exploitative innovation (wael AL-khatib, 2023).

Governance and policy considerations form a critical aspect of the GenAI discourse. When examining the ethics of GenAI, there are multiple viewpoints to consider. Environmental impact and governance can be seen as overarching themes (Dokumacı, 2024). Environmentally, GenAI's substantial energy consumption and carbon footprint are major concerns (Sullivan, 2024). In terms of governance and policy, there's a growing push for regulatory frameworks to guide AI development and deployment (Abbas, Maharishi, & Mishra, 2023; Maharishi, Abbas, & Siddiqui, 2024). As AI advances, ongoing dialogue and policy development will be crucial in shaping its ethical implementation. This includes an examination of data privacy concerns, intellectual property rights, and the need for transparent AI systems. GenAI’s ethical dimensions need to be integrated in the common discourse to ensure that the harm GenAI poses to educational systems, teaching and learning practices, and society broadly, are part of any decisions or recommended best practices (Bin Akhtar, 2024; Bond et al., 2024; Chere, & Wayi-Mgwebi, 2024).

Cultural perspectives and governance approaches to GenAI adoption vary significantly across regions. The panel will examine how these differences shape the acceptance and implementation of GenAI technologies in diverse educational and professional settings. Recent legislation, such as the EU's AI Act, addresses transparency and accountability in AI systems. At the same time, Asian governments like China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam have implemented policies to guide GenAI development and use (Expanded ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics - Generative AI, 2024; Interesse, 2024; Vietnam makes efforts to promote responsible AI development, 2024; Yale Law School/ Paul Tsai China Center, 2024). These varied cultural and regulatory landscapes highlight the need for nuanced, context-specific approaches to GenAI integration.

This panel aims to provide a systematic view of GenAI's impact by bringing together perspectives from an international community of practice. The discussion will offer valuable insights for educators, instructional designers, policymakers, and industry leaders, helping to chart a course for the responsible and effective integration of GenAI in learning and development contexts. The panel will address these issues, discussing strategies for leveraging GenAI to improve workplace efficiencies, outcomes, and ethical considerations while mitigating potential risks.

Attending this 60-minute panel discussion, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of GenAI’s evolving role in education and industry, informed by expert insights and recent research. The diverse expertise of our panelists will provide attendees with practical insights, innovative strategies, and critical perspectives on GenAI implementation. Panelists will take questions from attendees about ethical implementation, workforce adaptation, and instructional integration while addressing key challenges such as bias, governance, and sustainability. This session will empower attendees to make informed decisions about GenAI integration, enhance learning experiences, and prepare for the future of education and workforce development in an AI-driven world.

Learning Objectives:
1. Analyze common emerging themes in GenAI research and their potential applications in instructional design.
2. Compare and contrast GenAI applications in academic and industry settings, identifying transferable best practices.
3. Examine techno-skeptical and eco-critical approaches and frameworks for analyzing specific GenAI.
4. Reviewing suggested best practices with academic and workplace learners.
5. Discuss frameworks for continuous learning and adaptation in response to evolving GenAI software and hardware.

Highlight international perspectives regarding GenAI ethics, governance, and policy.

- Held on October 21, 2025, at Celebrity Ballroom 1, Planet Hollywood.

Period	21 Oct 2025
Event type	Conference
Location	Las Vegas, United StatesShow on map