Faculty are raising alarms about generative AI’s effects on learning—warning of diminished critical thinking, shorter attention spans, increased cheating, and weakened degree value—while industry and publishers push training and integration. A major AAC&U survey found most instructors believe AI will harm student skills unless institutions act; nearly all colleges have adopted some AI policies, but many faculty say institutions aren’t preparing staff or students. At the same time, vendors and publishers are staging webinars and policy conversations aimed at aligning AI with instructional goals—arguing that guided adoption, teacher training, and quality‑aligned materials can harness AI’s promise without sacrificing pedagogical rigor. The tension frames a sector‑wide question about whether higher education will regulate AI through pedagogy and assessment or be forced into reactive measures.