The convergence of anti-intellectualism and artificial intelligence creates a particularly challenging academic environment for all of us. AI can democratize access to information, but it can also accelerate the spread of misinformation and encourage shortcuts. Though it can support research, it is important to remember that cannot replace the critical thinking and ethical reasoning that define meaningful scholarship.
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Research is not about having all the answers at once. It is about creating environments where thoughtful questions can be asked. It is about defending the value of expertise while remaining open to new ideas. It is about fostering innovation without abandoning principles. It is about standing firm in support of truth, evidence, and intellectual inquiry, even when doing so is unpopular.

For educational researchers, administrators, faculty members, and practitioners, the responsibility is particularly significant. We are entrusted with preparing future generations to navigate a world that will undoubtedly be more technologically advanced, more interconnected, and perhaps more complex than the one we know today. Our students must learn not only how to use technology, but how to think critically about it. They must learn not only how to access information, but how to evaluate its credibility as suspicion and misinformation are on the rise.
The future belongs to educational researchers who can bridge divides rather than deepen them. It belongs to those of us who embrace innovation while safeguarding integrity and all who understand that knowledge is not a threat to democracy but one of its greatest assets.

As we move forward, we must remember that our strength is not tested during moments of comfort. It is tested during moments of uncertainty. The true measure of our character is not whether challenges exist, but how we respond to them.

In an age characterized by both artificial intelligence and growing distrust toward expertise, our responsibility is clear. We must continue to champion evidence, foster meaningful dialogue, encourage innovation, and model intellectual courage. The future of education, research, and society depends upon those of us who are willing to do exactly that.

The challenges before us are real. But so is our capacity to meet them.

See you all in Connecticut in October!