Higher education must accelerate AI readiness for both students and staff, industry and campus leaders say. Employers increasingly expect graduates to arrive with AI competence; institutions are staging training, embedding AI literacy into career guidance and calling for staff development so advisors and faculty can counsel students on responsible tool use. Faculty are also being pressed to redesign assessment to recognize AI‑assisted workflows—shifting from policing to assessment design that tests judgement, evaluation and critical oversight. The announcements and guidance underscore a broader push to align curricula and career services with changing employer expectations and to protect academic standards amid rapid technological adoption.