The University in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence: Transformations in Pedagogy, Assessment, and Epistemic Authority

The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the institutional, pedagogical, and epistemological foundations of higher education. Systems capable of generating sophisticated textual outputs, analytical explanations, and research summaries have begun to reshape how students learn, how instructors design educational activities, and how universities evaluate knowledge production. While these technologies offer new opportunities for personalized learning and research efficiency, they also challenge traditional academic practices centered on authorship, originality, and intellectual labor. This article examines the implications of generative artificial intelligence for contemporary universities by analyzing three key dimensions of transformation: pedagogical practices, academic assessment systems, and epistemic authority within higher education institutions. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship from educational technology, sociology of knowledge, and philosophy of technology, the study adopts a qualitative conceptual research design combining literature analysis and institutional observation. The article argues that universities should not interpret artificial intelligence solely as a threat to academic integrity but rather as a catalyst for institutional adaptation and pedagogical innovation. By integrating AI literacy, process-oriented assessment methods, and critical engagement with algorithmic knowledge systems, higher education institutions can preserve their role as central actors in the cultivation of intellectual inquiry and critical reasoning in technologically mediated societies.