Learning from practice: How professionals use AI and what it means for higher education

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how professionals across industries are using generative artificial intelligence (AI) and what their experiences suggest for higher education. Through interviews with 10 professionals, the study investigates: (1) What forms of AI-related training are available to employees? (2) How do professionals describe existing policies (or their absence) governing AI use in the workplace? (3) In what ways are AI tools being adopted across sectors, and for what types of tasks? and (4) How do professionals perceive AI’s influence on efficiency, expectations, and required skills? Four key findings emerged: participants engaged in self-led AI learning through experimentation; organizational policies were absent or just emerging; adoption patterns varied by role, sector, and initiative; and AI tools were primarily used for content generation, data-informed decisions, and overcoming creative blocks, reshaping job expectations toward adaptability, creativity, and strategic thinking. Findings suggest that generative AI is transforming tasks and altering how professionals learn, decide, and collaborate. In response, four implications for higher education are: rethinking AI learning through experiential and playful approaches, building AI awareness and ethical confidence, supporting thoughtful adoption across disciplines, and fostering skills for effective human-AI collaboration. Preparing students will require technical exposure and critically engaged, ethically grounded practice.