ID031 AI in Professional Services

The Idea

While the University has rightly prioritised a coordinated approach to the use of AI in teaching and learning and is clearly considering AI within its broader change/transformation agenda, I’m not aware of an equivalent structure focused on how AI can enhance the work of Professional Services (PS) colleagues themselves. 

As a result, understanding and use of AI across PS is uneven, with pockets of strong expertise - such as those who have undertaken the ‘AI for Business Value’ apprenticeship course with Multiverse - but limited mechanisms for sharing, scaling, or collaborating on innovations across directorates. 

This risks valuable ideas remaining local, fragmented, or underdeveloped, rather than being harnessed for institutional benefit. 

It also creates a risk that colleagues will adopt AI tools in an ad hoc way, without a clear understanding of responsible use, data protection requirements, or alignment with the University’s wider strategy and governance. 

A cross-University PS AI network could: 

• Bring together PS colleagues with an interest or expertise in AI 
• Also involve academic staff, especially those working in the areas of AI 
• Provide a forum to share practical use cases, experiments, and lessons learned 
• Identify opportunities where AI and AI tools could improve efficiency, creativity, or service delivery across PS 
• Support the development and scaling of promising AI initiatives beyond individual teams 
• Support the development of policy and guidance 
• Consider how to reduce the environmental and societal impact from AI 

By building AI into the new University strategy for PS, and creating a structured space for collaboration, the University would better leverage existing AI capability within PS, reduce duplication of effort, and accelerate responsible innovation in how the institution operates. 

Why This Idea Should Be Considered

The University should consider this idea because AI is already reshaping how professional work is done, and there is a risk that PS teams are being left to navigate this individually rather than collectively. 

Without a shared space for learning and collaboration, the institution may miss opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and enhance the quality of services that support students and staff. 

A more strategic approach, including integrating with existing digital and communications strategies, would help ensure that AI adoption in PS is ethical, well-governed, effective, and aligned with institutional priorities, while also empowering colleagues to innovate confidently.

How We Would Implement This Idea

Keele could implement this by establishing a cross-Directorate PS AI 'Community of Practice' (or similar), sponsored by a senior leader and linked into existing digital transformation and AI governance structures. This should also be open to academic staff to allow the sharing of broader ideas. 

The University could identify and bring together 'AI champions' from each PS area, including Multiverse learners, to share practice and pilot ideas. 

Regular workshops, case-study showcases, and a shared online space for resources and experiments would help build momentum. 

Small innovation grants or protected time could support collaborative projects, with successful pilots scaled up through IT and Transformation teams. 

Clear principles around ethics, data protection, and responsible use (including explicit consideration of the environmental impact) should underpin the work, ensuring that experimentation is safe, consistent, and aligned with Keele’s wider strategic priorities.

What Success Would Look Like

Success would look like Professional Services colleagues across Keele having a shared understanding of AI's potential (and risk and impacts), with visible examples of how it is being used to improve everyday work. 

There would be active collaboration across directorates rather than isolated pockets of innovation, with ideas routinely shared, tested, and scaled. 

PS staff would feel confident and supported to experiment responsibly, backed by clear governance and guidance. 

The University would be able to point to measurable benefits, such as time saved, improved services, better decision-making, and reduced duplication of effort. 

Over time, AI would be seen not as an add-on, but as a normal, well-governed part of how Keele’s Professional Services operate.