Voices across higher education are clashing over AI’s impact on credential value even as colleges deploy the same tools to improve student outcomes. A University Business column argued that generative AI has already altered what a degree signifies; speakers at campus events described students arriving with AI agents that can complete coursework for them. At the same time, institutions are piloting AI systems aimed at retention: vendors and campuses report tools that identify at‑risk students, personalize support and offer 24/7 tutoring. Universities say these systems can reduce dropout rates by surfacing interventions earlier. The twin realities — AI undermining traditional assessment models and AI providing targeted student supports — are forcing rapid reassessments of academic integrity policies, assessment design, and investments in student success analytics. Campus leaders must balance protecting credential integrity with deploying AI as a retention instrument.