UCC Chancellor Professor John MacIntyre Urges Educators to Embrace AI in Education at 9th Annual Research Conference

Kingston, Jamaica – Thursday, September 25, 2025 - The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) opened its 9th Annual Research Conference at its main campus in Kingston on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, with a compelling keynote address from the university Chancellor Professor John MacIntyre. Held under the theme ‘Living and Working with Artificial Intelligence’, Professor MacIntyre called on educators and institutions to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative tool in teaching, learning, and research. The Chancellor, in his presentation, urged the academic community to shift from a mindset of policing AI to one of purposeful integration, equipping students with the skills to use the technology effectively in the real world.

Professor MacIntyre highlighted that AI has already begun to reshape the workplace with professionals across industries using it to streamline tasks, boost productivity, and unlock new opportunities. He emphasized that universities have a responsibility to ensure that students are not left behind in a fast-paced environment that requires continuous adaptation. “AI is not going to replace people, but people who use AI will replace people who don’t,” he remarked, underscoring the urgency for academic institutions to prepare students for this evolving reality.

Contrary to widespread fears about academic dishonesty, Professor MacIntyre shared research that showed that the misuse of AI in higher education is far lower than often portrayed. According to international studies, only about 3% of students use AI to generate full assignments and pass them off as their own work. Most students, he noted, engage with AI in responsible and constructive ways, using it to support their learning and develop critical skills.

“When students graduate and enter the workforce, they will be expected to use AI as part of their daily roles. Rather than banning or restricting it, we should be requiring it, teaching students how to generate, critique, refine, and improve AI outputs. That is professional practice, and that’s the standard we want to instill at UCC,” MacIntyre explained.

Notwithstanding, the Chancellor acknowledged the risks associated with AI, including unreliable detection tools that produce false positives, fabricated outputs sometimes called ‘hallucinations’ and the misuse of deep fakes for fraud and misinformation. He cautioned that focusing solely on detection and punishment places universities “in the wrong place, with the wrong mindset,” and instead argued that embedding AI literacy into curricula and assessments will better prepare students to navigate risks while maximising benefits.

“We must teach students to use AI effectively, appropriately, and safely,” he remarked. “Effectively, to get good results; appropriately, by applying their own judgment and not passing off AI work as their own; and safely, ensuring no harm to themselves or others”.

The Chancellor’s keynote was fundamental in setting the expectations for UCC’s 9th Annual Research Conference, which runs from September 24–25, 2025. With AI at the forefront of global change, Professor MacIntyre made clear that UCC intends to be the leader in preparing graduates who are readily equipped to thrive in an AI-driven world.