Cybersecurity firms warn that generative AI has materially upgraded phishing campaigns targeting schools and universities, producing tailored, timely messages that evade traditional detection and impersonation checks. SonicWall and KnowBe4 executives say AI increases the speed and scale of social‑engineering attacks and makes malicious email copy far more convincing. Campus IT teams report a rise in credential‑harvesting and business‑email‑compromise attempts that mimic university officials, financial officers and faculty. As attackers automate personalization, phishing drills and legacy filters are proving less effective. Security leaders recommend immediate steps: deploy enterprise‑grade email filtering, require multi‑factor authentication on administrative accounts, expand simulated‑phishing training, and segregate high‑risk workflows for regulator‑sensitive data. Boardrooms and CIOs must treat phishing as an institutional risk that affects student records, research data and grant compliance—investments in detection, staffing and tabletop exercises are being prioritized in response.