It's hard to think of an industry that hasn't been disrupted by artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML).

Recently one morning, I asked my computer a relatively simple question: can artificial intelligence (AI) write? We're not too certain on what artificial intelligence will be able to write, but there are some scenarios in which computers could be responsible for a huge number of word documents … The biggest potential scenarios would involve machines analyzing what has already been written and determining what pieces need to be edited to make the content seem fresh. The above sentences were composed by a machine in a matter of seconds. The tool used is a freely accessible interface based on the GPT-2 text generator released by OpenAI – a company founded by technology industry leaders, including Elon Musk and Sam Altman. Only a limited version of the tool was made available, as it was dubbed "too dangerous" by the company to release fully into the world.

How will Canadian universities change over the next 20 years? What challenges will they face and what opportunities lie ahead? In honour of University Affairs' 60th anniversary, we put questions like these to seven people representing different regions and facets of the university enterprise from coast to coast. They spoke about their dreams for universities that better represent the world scholars strive to understand, about their concerns around finances, how the students they serve inspire and teach them, and about the opportunities – and risks – posed by the onslaught of rapid technological change. Most of all, they affirmed that universities have a vital role to play in helping society navigate through the deepest challenges of our time, from climate change to the dangers of misinformation and rising intolerance.