AI-powered search tools and EducationDynamics’ 2026 benchmarks show 78% of education-related Google results now surface AI Overviews—summaries that can displace institutional pages—forcing colleges to rethink recruitment and digital strategy. The report notes a surge in 'stealth applicants' and compressed enrollment timelines: 55% of prospective students move from consideration to inquiry in under three weeks. At the same time, institutions confront three core obstacles to AI/ML adoption on campus: shortages of trained AI talent, data governance and privacy concerns, and integration complexity with legacy systems. Together, these pressures demand cross‑functional investments in content strategy, AI literacy for enrollment teams, and workforce development to deploy AI responsibly across admissions, advising, and student services.