After a period of alarm over AI‑driven cheating, some colleges are deploying AI in admissions operations. Admissions teams at institutions such as Virginia Tech and Caltech are testing AI readers to screen essays, verify authenticity of student research, and accelerate transcript review; leaders say the tools standardize review and speed decisions without replacing human judgment. At the same time, faculty and instructional leaders are urging a curricular pivot: moving beyond creation tasks that AI can automate toward 'transformation'—higher‑order work that integrates, critiques and applies knowledge. Thought pieces from pedagogy experts argue universities should help students learn to co‑create with AI and show mastery through synthesis and real‑world application. For admissions directors and academic leaders, the takeaway is twofold: integrate AI to improve throughput and authenticity checks, while redesigning assessment to measure uniquely human competencies employers and accreditors prize.