Being indispensable: Capabilities for a human-AI world, the ‘FUTURES’ framework
Think tank: HEPI
Author(s): Dr Doug Specht; Professor Gunter Saunders
March 5, 2026
This report from UK think tank HEPI advises universities to act now on GenAI – and to put human competency at the centre.
A new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), Being indispensable: Capabilities for a human-AI world, the ‘FUTURES’ framework, argues that universities should take more robust approaches to GenAI integration, as the technology becomes more embedded in everyday and academic life.
Written by Dr Doug Specht and Professor Gunter Saunders of the University of Westminster, the report says strengthening human competencies must be the top priority for higher education institutions in order to harness the greatest benefits from GenAI.
The authors note 75% of young people aged 13 to 18 have already used GenAI, with similar patterns visible across higher education. This rapid uptake brings major opportunities: GenAI can personalise learning, reduce staff workload and widen access to support. However, the risks are substantial. GenAI models can reflect bias within their training data, access to the most capable systems may deepen inequalities and an uncritical reliance on GenAI can weaken independence, originality and authentic learning. Concerns around environmental impact add an additional layer of complexity.
The report argues universities need a dual approach to GenAI-enabled learning. It calls for curricula that embed human-AI collaboration while ensuring that ethical reasoning, critical thinking and wellbeing remain central to academic development. New approaches must also include practical governance, staff and student training and equitable access to tools.
To support this, the authors introduce the FUTURES framework, a practical model designed to help institutions integrate GenAI effectively while strengthening the human capabilities that AI cannot replace.
