**The big picture:** PayrollOrg's upcoming conference will gather higher education payroll professionals to address the impact of AI, new legislative developments, and compliance challenges specific to colleges and universities. **Why it matters:** The intersection of AI and evolving regulations presents significant operational and compliance hurdles for HR and payroll functions, particularly in complex sectors like higher education. **Between the lines:** - Sessions will cover AI in payroll, federal and state legislative updates, and data governance. - Specific topics include nonresident alien taxation, IRS fringe benefits, and student employment. - The conference aims to equip teams with tools to navigate rapid changes in payroll management. **Staffing & HR impact:** HR and staffing leaders must proactively integrate AI tools while ensuring strict compliance with new wage, hour, and tax regulations to avoid penalties and maintain operational efficiency. This directly impacts recruiter training and the mobility of specialized payroll talent. **The bottom line:** Staying ahead of AI integration and regulatory shifts is critical for payroll and HR teams to mitigate risk and optimize workforce management in higher education.