The best conferences still do what higher education at its best does: they give us an opportunity to think together.

It's to choose tools that make you more resilient rather than more rigid. Because in a world where uncertainty is the only certainty, the institutions that thrive won't be those that predicted the future correctly.

Having observed how decisions actually get made across hundreds of institutions, I sum up what's really happening every day in just one word: pragmatism.

Here's what I've learned after watching dozens of these emergency meetings: We don't rush to solutions because we're lazy or careless. We rush because our brains are designed to look for patterns and shortcuts.

ext time an AI solution lands on your desk—and there will be a next time—try this simple framework. Think of it as your survival guide for the impossible conversation.