WGU Labs released research outlining four ways generative AI will alter higher education operations and pedagogy in 2026, forecasting more sophisticated AI assistants, emotionally intelligent interfaces, growth of private alternative providers, and an expanded focus on non-credential adult learners. The lab cited tests of 24/7 student assistants and institutional pilot programs that trained AI on campus operations to speed advising and course creation. The report urges institutions to place ethical design and student well‑being at the center of AI adoption to avoid harms to instructional autonomy and learner outcomes.