More than a nice-to-have: UT Dallas CIO says agentic AI is essential for higher education

Frank Feagans, VP of IT and CIO at the University of Texas at Dallas, is advocating for the integration of agentic AI into university curricula and operations, emphasizing that this technology is no longer aspirational but essential for higher education’s future. His approach centers on channeling human experience through AI governance strategy while bringing private industry best practices to academic institutions.

What you should know: Feagans believes universities must embrace agentic AI to remain competitive and relevant in preparing students for future careers.

• Through corporate partnerships, UT Dallas is fostering a culture that promotes emerging technology benefits by engaging students in discussions about generative AI’s current state and future direction.
• Research advancement and broader institutional impacts including enrollment, retention, and outreach all depend on these strategic partnerships.
• “Agentic AI isn’t aspirational. It’s something we have to do,” Feagans emphasized.

The big picture: Disruptions like China’s DeepSeek demonstrate how efficient AI systems can achieve remarkable results without massive infrastructure investments.

• “They have the usual hardware but not a massive, bloated operating system,” Feagans noted, referring to how streamlined software can maximize existing computing power.
• Advancements continue to outpace expectations, making deeper generative AI integration essential for managing acceleration and strategic pivots.
• “Plus, the R in ROI isn’t just about dollar signs. Returns come in other forms that aren’t so quantitative.”

Implementation strategy: Feagans outlined a success formula for rolling out agentic AI that applies across industries.

• Leadership commitment is crucial, though it can originate from line-of-business leaders rather than requiring top-down mandates.
• The technology must be linked to organizational purpose, with agentic AI enhancing productivity while enabling evolution beyond simply doing existing tasks faster.
• “Don’t just do the things you do today faster or with more information. You should be doing something different or broader with it because it gives you that opportunity.”

AI governance approach: Effective AI governance requires focusing on human experience rather than treating it as a purely technical data management issue.

• “When I see AI governance under the data management office, I shudder because it’s really about the human experience,” Feagans explained.
• Governance should report at levels where leaders understand impacts on customers, employees, stakeholders, and partners.
• “It’s not about saving jobs. It’s about the human element and doing it right.”

Cultural challenges in higher education: Academic institutions face unique obstacles in adopting AI compared to private industry.

• Higher education cultures tend to preserve traditional teaching methods, creating resistance to AI integration.
• When Feagans asked his class about AI usage, only two students initially raised their hands, though many were secretly using tools like DeepSeek despite faculty prohibitions.
• “Please use it. You need to learn to teach differently. That’s what instructors need to think about, and not just in higher ed. Use it as a gift and not as a barrier.”

What they’re saying: Feagans draws inspiration from his transition from private industry to higher education after three decades in corporate IT roles.

• “I just felt like there was more than shareholder value and quarterly earnings, so I decided to look into higher ed.”
• His motivation centers on three key areas: workforce development through student workers and teaching, advancing research particularly in high-performance computing for medical breakthroughs, and bringing IT best practices from private industry to academia.
• “I’ve been doing this now for 13 years and I love what I’m doing.”