Employers and faculty are sending mixed signals to higher education leaders: a global employer survey found a large majority expect new hires to have hands‑on AI experience, while campus instructors are moving away from blanket bans on generative AI toward more calibrated policies that regulate use in coursework and research. The CarringtonCrisp See the Future 2026 report shows 77% of employers expect entrants to have some AI experience and that many graduates taught themselves tools outside formal coursework. At the same time, a study of course materials finds faculty increasingly prefer guidance and guardrails over outright bans. For academic leaders, the combination means accelerating curricular development, faculty training and clearer governance around academic integrity, research use, and credentialing of AI competencies.