Higher Intelligence

JC Bonilla is joined by Andrew Ramsammy, President of Vermont College of Fine Arts, for a deep dive into what it means to lead in the era of AI, especially agentic AI. JC sets the stage for a conversation ranging from the challenges of navigating a college presidency during the pandemic to the transformative effects of affiliating with CalArts. Andrew shares his journey from board member to president and describes how AI, far from being just a technological add-on, demands a renewed focus on agency and intentionality in leadership.

Related Link: https://www.a16z.news/p/the-next-ai-goldrush-tokens-loops

- - - -

Connect With Our Co-Host:
Dr. JC Bonilla
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbonilla/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Higher Intelligence is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Enrollify is made possible by Element451. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode, JC dives into one of higher education's most pressing debates: is the flood of low-quality AI-generated content—what some call "AI slop"—the fault of the technology itself or of its human users? Drawing from David Brooks' recent Atlantic article and a machine-generated debate, this episode explores how artificial intelligence is changing the standards of effort, judgment, and quality in academic and professional work. Are we lowering the bar for ourselves because the tools are so easy to use, or has technology fundamentally reshaped our cognitive landscape, making quality harder to maintain? Stay tuned as we untangle where the real responsibility lies and what it takes to truly thrive in the age of AI.

Related Article: The People Who Will Thrive in the AI Age

- - - -

Connect With Our Co-Host:
Dr. JC Bonilla
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbonilla/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Higher Intelligence is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Enrollify is made possible by Element451. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

JC is joined by Ty Fujimura, Chief Product Officer at Element451, and Matt Ellis, Chief Product Officer at Encoura, to dive into two rapidly evolving stories shaking the ed tech world: the high-stakes drama of AI governance, sparked by the latest developments around Anthropic’s Mythos/Fable models and export bans, and the staggering costs and ROI projections of AI software in higher ed. 

Ty and Matt also give a deep dive on the newly launched Encoura Connect—a powerful partnership between Encoura and Element451 that promises to bring predictive enrollment intelligence and agent-driven CRM capabilities together like never before. They explore what this means for institutions, how the landscape of personalization and data-driven engagement is shifting, and why thoughtful AI governance and spend management will play a central role in higher ed’s future. Whether you’re a marketer, technologist, or leader in education, this is the conversation that pulls back the curtain on where AI is taking your campus next.

- - - -

Connect With Our Co-Host:
Dr. JC Bonilla
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbonilla/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Higher Intelligence is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Enrollify is made possible by Element451. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

JC presents a June 2026 “State of AI” summer recap for higher education, addressing what’s true about AI, its current state, and how institutions can improve. He argues AI has shifted from chatbots to agentic operating layers and that model leadership is now contested among OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, DeepSeek, and Z.AI, making single-vendor strategies outdated. The episode concludes with a live discussion between JC, AI for U host Brian Piper, and Lessons in Leadership host Carrie Phillips.

- - - -

Connect With Our Co-Host:
Dr. JC Bonilla
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbonilla/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Higher Intelligence is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Enrollify is made possible by Element451. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Higher Intelligence, Dr. JC Bonilla and guest Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner examine who decides what AI is allowed to do on campus and who holds accountability when AI goes wrong. They discuss recent government intervention in AI model deployment, the rise of AI-powered academic discovery, and the emergence of agentic AI workflows in higher education. Drawing on leadership frameworks and real campus examples, the conversation explores practical approaches to AI governance, ethical considerations, and how higher ed leaders can balance progress with accountability.

- - - -

Connect With Our Co-Host:
Dr. JC Bonilla
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbonilla/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Higher Intelligence is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Enrollify is made possible by Element451. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.