Peter Thomas

Peter Thomas

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Dr. Peter Thomas is Head of Higher Education at the Conversation Design Institute, bringing over 25 years of global experience in university transformation, AI strategy, and organisational design. He has secured multi-million-dollar investments, built international research and innovation networks across Europe, South East Asia, and Australia, and designed AI-enabled upskilling frameworks that scale across institutions and industries.

Peter holds a degree in Linguistics and Literature and a PhD in Computer Science and Psychology from Leeds, Cambridge, and Hull Universities. He is a fellow of the RSA, BCS, and IET, and has held visiting professorships at institutions including Melbourne, RMIT, Brunel, and Beijing Normal University.

His writing on the CDI blog covers AI strategy in higher education, institutional capability building, and the future of learning.

Articles by Peter

Preparing Students for an agentic AI Workforce
Preparing Students for an agentic AI Workforce

Demand for AI talent has grown fivefold in just one year, with job postings requesting AI skills inc…

May 11, 2026
7 min read
Trust is the currency of conversational AI in higher educati…
Trust is the currency of conversational AI in higher educati…

Universities worldwide face a crisis of confidence while struggling to deploy intelligent assistants…

May 11, 2026
8 min read
Why Your University Needs a Conversational AI Strategy (Not…
Why Your University Needs a Conversational AI Strategy (Not…

Walk into any leadership meeting today and you'll hear the same refrain: "We need a chatbot." Admiss…

May 6, 2026
10 min read
The Careers Service Crisis: Why AI Alone Won't Save You
The Careers Service Crisis: Why AI Alone Won't Save You

It’s no exaggeration to say that careers services in universities are in crisis. Restructures, skele…

May 6, 2026
5 min read
The Voice-First Campus
The Voice-First Campus

Your students already live in a voice-first world. Over 62 per cent of adults use voice assistants r…

Apr 30, 2026
11 min read
The Conversational Infrastructure: moving beyond the chatbot…
The Conversational Infrastructure: moving beyond the chatbot…

Peter Thomas is Senior Adviser for Higher Education Strategy at CDI, where our focus is on building…

Jun 23, 2025
5 min read