Connecticut College AI and the Liberal Arts Symposium

Adapting to new technologies is a staple of academic life, but the rapid rise of generative AI is creating an unsustainable mental and emotional landscape for faculty and librarians. Beyond the daunting technical learning curve and the exhausting game of “whack-a-mole” as AI “assistants” pop up in familiar tools, this shift brings profound existential repercussions. Ethical dilemmas and the relentless pressure to innovate while maintaining pedagogical integrity have pushed many to a breaking point.Together, we will situate AI burnout within the broader cultural context of higher education while reflecting on our personal and professional values. Through prompts, small-group discussions, and personal inventories, participants will identify current challenges, discover areas of agency, and find sparks of hope and inspiration.