At EDUCAUSE 2025 sessions, higher‑education IT leaders laid out a two‑track agenda: rapid adoption of AI to personalize learning and a renewed emphasis on incident‑response readiness. Panelists including Maricopa Community College District and Vanderbilt security leads described strengthening playbooks, cross‑department drills, and faculty training to manage AI risks and cyber threats. Speakers urged a human‑centered approach to AI in curricula while investing in trust frameworks and playbooks that integrate legal, academic and technical teams. Campus CIOs should expect to prioritize AI deployment plans alongside tabletop exercises and governance updates.