Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Higher Education Courses: A Maturity-Based Approach Using EMBED+

Digital transformation has become a strategic priority for higher education institutions (HEIs), with blended learning environments (BLEs) increasingly positioned as sustainable approaches that combine online and face-to-face learning. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering these environments, offering opportunities for personalised guidance, adaptive learning support, automated feedback, and enhanced media design. However, AI adoption often remains fragmented and technology-driven, creating challenges related to pedagogical coherence, ethics, equity, and sustainability. This paper argues that AI integration in blended courses should be understood as a maturity process rather than as a question of technology adoption alone. Using the European Maturity Model for Blended Education Plus (EMBED+) as an analytical framework, this study explores how AI-supported practices can evolve across maturity stages. The analysis focuses on two course-level dimensions where AI has particular relevance: Blended Learner Guidance and Use of Media and Tools. Through a conceptual mapping approach, AI applications are aligned with four maturity stages: ad hoc, deliberate, responsive, and embedded. Findings indicate that mature AI integration is characterised not by advanced technologies, but by intentional pedagogical design, evidence-informed improvement, and adaptive deployment. The proposed framework provides educators, instructional designers, and institutional leaders with a shared language to evaluate and strengthen AI-enhanced blended learning practices.