AI Memory Mirrors Human Brain - William Suh, Neuroscience News

Summary: Researchers unveiled a significant similarity between AI memory processing and human hippocampal functions. This discovery, bridging AI and neuroscience, highlights a parallel in memory consolidation – a process crucial in transforming short-term to long-term memories – in both AI models and the human brain. The team focused on the Transformer model, a cornerstone in AI advancements, and found its memory processes mimic the brain’s NMDA receptor mechanism. This innovative research not only propels Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) development but also offers a deeper understanding of the human brain’s memory systems.

https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-human-memory-agi-25381/

Perplexity Introduces Online LLMs With Real-Time Information - Search Engine Journal

Perplexity’s online LLMs can tap into the latest information from the internet to generate responses, making them uniquely capable of answering queries that depend on recent events or data. For example, the models can report the latest sports scores, stock prices, or the latest Google news developments. In addition, Perplexity employs various techniques to maximize factual accuracy and minimize the generation of false information. By providing access to the latest information and insights from the web, Perplexity’s models help level the playing field between large tech firms and smaller organizations looking to benefit from AI.

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/perplexity-introduces-online-llms-with-real-time-information/502523/

The hardware and software for the era of quantum utility is here - Jay Gambetta, IBM

In the case of quantum computing, the theme of the past few decades has been the emergence and establishment of this new technology. The community focused on laying the groundwork: experimenting with quantum hardware, devising use cases, and educating people on how to use quantum computers, while running experiments benchmarking devices. We made quantum computing real. But earlier this year, we A new paper from IBM and UC Berkeley shows a path toward useful quantum computing. Read more.published an experiment that changed the status quo. We demonstrated that quantum computers could run circuits beyond the reach of brute-force classical simulations. For the first time, we have hardware and software capable of executing quantum circuits with no known a priori answer at a scale of 100 qubits and 3,000 gates. Quantum is now a computational tool, and what makes me most excited is that we can start to advance science in fields beyond quantum computing, itself.

https://research.ibm.com/blog/quantum-roadmap-2033

The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier - McKinsey Digital

Generative AI applications such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Stable Diffusion, and others have captured the imagination of people around the world in a way AlphaGo did not, thanks to their broad utility—almost anyone can use them to communicate and create—and preternatural ability to have a conversation with a user. The latest generative AI applications can perform a range of routine tasks, such as the reorganization and classification of data. But it is their ability to write text, compose music, and create digital art that has garnered headlines and persuaded consumers and households to experiment on their own. As a result, a broader set of stakeholders are grappling with generative AI’s impact on business and society but without much context to help them make sense of it.

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-the-next-productivity-frontier

Education should look to the way artists are embracing AI - Lucy Gill-Simmen, University World News

Of course, AI isn’t going anywhere. As an educator myself, I wanted to explore how my profession could learn valuable lessons about embracing this new technology. The model for this new approach comes from art. Artists have long been exploring the intersection of technology and creativity. One well-known artist who has embraced AI is the painter David Hockney. In June 2023, Hockney exhibited an AI-generated work on the Pyramid Stage at the 2023 Glastonbury Festival. Titled “I lived in Bohemia, Bohemia is a Tolerant Place”, the piece, created by Hockney using AI, was developed into a one-minute video to spread harmony through bohemianism.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20231211141633168

Free online learning for older adults promotes overall wellness - KIFI

As the Wyoming Department of Health continues to a partner with the largest online learning platform designed specifically for older adults, a wide range of free classes remains available to older Wyoming adults. Jeff Clark, Community Health Section manager with the WDH Aging Division, described the “GetSetUp” digital education site as an overall opportunity for older adults to bridge the digital divide, increase activity and boost wellness. The collaboration brings an array of classes aimed at promoting lifelong learning, empowerment, and social engagement among Wyoming’s older adults, especially during the challenging winter months. Some offerings are live sessions; others are recorded and available at any time.

https://localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2023/12/16/free-online-learning-for-older-adults-promotes-overall-wellness/

OpenAI Demos a Control Method for Superintelligent AI: The researchers asked GPT-2 to command the much more powerful GPT-4 - ELIZA STRICKLAND, IEEE Spectrum

One day, the theory goes, we humans will create AI systems that outmatch us intellectually. That could be great if they solve problems that we’ve been thus far unable to crack (think cancer or climate change), or really bad if they begin to act in ways that are not in humanity’s best interests, and we’re not smart enough to stop them. So earlier this year, OpenAI launched its superalignment program, an ambitious attempt to find technical means to control a superintelligent AI system, or “align” it with human goals. OpenAI is devoting 20 percent of its compute to this effort, and hopes to have solutions by 2027.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/openai-alignment

AI scientists make ‘exciting’ discovery using chatbots to solve maths problems - Ian Sample, the Guardian

 Artificial intelligence researchers claim to have made the world’s first scientific discovery using a large language model, a breakthrough that suggests the technology behind ChatGPT and similar programs can generate information that goes beyond human knowledge. The finding emerged from Google DeepMind, where scientists are investigating whether large language models, which underpin modern chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, can do more than repackage information learned in training and come up with new insights. “When we started the project there was no indication that it would produce something that’s genuinely new,” said Pushmeet Kohli, the head of AI for science at DeepMind. “As far as we know, this is the first time that a genuine, new scientific discovery has been made by a large language model.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/dec/14/ai-scientists-make-exciting-discovery-using-chatbots-to-solve-maths-problems

AI scientists make ‘exciting’ discovery using chatbots to solve maths problems - Ian Sample, the Guardian

Artificial intelligence researchers claim to have made the world’s first scientific discovery using a large language model, a breakthrough that suggests the technology behind ChatGPT and similar programs can generate information that goes beyond human knowledge. The finding emerged from Google DeepMind, where scientists are investigating whether large language models, which underpin modern chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, can do more than repackage information learned in training and come up with new insights. “When we started the project there was no indication that it would produce something that’s genuinely new,” said Pushmeet Kohli, the head of AI for science at DeepMind. “As far as we know, this is the first time that a genuine, new scientific discovery has been made by a large language model.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/dec/14/ai-scientists-make-exciting-discovery-using-chatbots-to-solve-maths-problems

Sam Altman on OpenAI, Future Risks and Rewards, and Artificial General Intelligence - Simmone Shah, Time

The technology has limitless potential, Altman says—“I think AGI will be the most powerful technology humanity has yet invented”—particularly in democratizing access to information globally. “If you think about the cost of intelligence and the equality of intelligence, the cost falling, the quality increasing by a lot, and what people can do with that,” he said, “it's a very different world. It’s the world that sci-fi has promised us for a long time—and for the first time, I think we could start to see what that’s gonna look like.”

https://time.com/6344160/a-year-in-time-ceo-interview-sam-altman/

Future of OPMs in Flux as Regulations Loom - Lauren Coffey, Inside Higher Ed

After months of uncertainty about whether the federal government would revise its guidelines for how colleges work with online program management firms and other outside providers, the Education Department said last month that it would do so early next year. Depending on how it is written and what is ultimately approved, the guidance could dramatically alter the relationships between colleges and OPMs, which offer an array of services to help institutions build, market and operate their online academic programs.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/2023/12/13/how-education-department-could-change-opm-industry

ChatGPT passes neurology exam for first time - David Attlee, Coin Telegraph

OpenAI’s latest update of its large language model (LLM), ChatGPT-4.0, has passed a clinical neurology exam with 85% correct answers in a proof-of-concept study. The research authors believe that after some fine-tuning, LLMs could have “significant applications” in clinical neurology. The results of the experiment, conducted by a group of researchers from the University Hospital Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, were published on Dec. 7. The test, performed on May 31, featured two LLMs, ChatGPT-3.5 and its later version, ChatGPT-4.0. The researchers used the bank of questions for a neurology exam from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with a small cohort of questions from the European Board for Neurology. The average human score was 73.8%.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/chatgpt-passes-neurology-exam-for-first-time

Diversity matters even more: The case for holistic impact - Dame Vivian Hunt, et al; McKinsey

Diversity Matters Even More is the fourth report in a McKinsey series investigating the business case for diversity, following Why Diversity Matters (2015), Delivering Through Diversity (2018), and Diversity Wins (2020). For almost a decade through our Diversity Matters series of reports, McKinsey has delivered a comprehensive global perspective on the relationship between leadership diversity and company performance. This year, the business case is the strongest it has been since we’ve been tracking and, for the first time in some areas, equitable representation is in sight. Further, a striking new finding is that leadership diversity is also convincingly associated with holistic growth ambitions, greater social impact, and more satisfied workforces.

https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-matters-even-more-the-case-for-holistic-impact

How GenAI Could Accelerate Employee Learning and Development - Chrysanthos Dellarocas, Harvard Business Review

n our AI-driven era, reskilling is a critical strategic goal for every organization. However, traditional learning-and-development methods often fall short, being costly, ineffective, and unable to keep pace with rapidly evolving skill requirements. The rise of generative AI offers transformative opportunities to revolutionize and personalize learning experiences. This article delves into some emerging uses of generative AI in learning and development, while also addressing challenges and providing guidance for leaders navigating this domain. 

https://hbr.org/2023/12/how-genai-could-accelerate-employee-learning-and-development

Why you should incorporate gamification into your L&D programs - BARNANA SARKAR, Moodle

A recent survey revealed that 95% of employees in an organisation prefer a gamified work and training experience, as they find aspects of gamification enjoyable. This trend is mirrored by job seekers, where 78% of them stated that gamification could play a significant role in making a company or a particular role more appealing to them during the recruitment process.  The impact of gamification goes beyond employees’ personal preference, as it significantly contributes to productivity and on-the-job engagement. In addition to immediate performance benefits, incorporating gamification into learning and development (L&D) programs results in increased engagement among learners, ensuring their commitment to completing the training program. 

https://moodle.com/news/why-you-should-incorporate-gamification-into-your-l-and-d-programs/

AI in 2023: A year of breakthroughs that left no human thing unchanged - Jason Perlow, ZDNet

AI's profound transformation this year was marked by advancements in open-source AI, licensing debates, and the emergence of powerful generative AI models. Despite these impressive strides, the proliferation of generative AI models raised ethical concerns this year. Issues such as biases in AI-generated content and the urgent need for transparency in AI development gained prominence, and the industry grappled with ensuring ethical and accountable AI usage as AI continued integrating into diverse sectors. The interplay between AI and employment witnessed substantial changes, marked by growing automation and shifts in job market dynamics. The use of AI in automating routine tasks across industries led to efficiency gains, but raised concerns about job displacement, particularly in roles involving repetitive tasks. This shift prompted the emergence of new opportunities in AI maintenance, oversight, and ethical governance.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/ai-in-2023-a-year-of-breakthroughs-that-left-no-human-thing-unchanged/

Gemini AI is more powerful than Chat GPT: Five special things about this Google too - EMMANUAL, News Track Live

In the realm of artificial intelligence, Gemini AI emerges as a powerful contender, surpassing even the renowned Chat GPT. Let's delve into the five distinctive features that make this Google tool stand out. Gemini AI showcases an unparalleled prowess in semantic understanding. Unlike Chat GPT, it goes beyond surface-level comprehension, grasping the nuances of language to provide more contextually relevant responses. This deep understanding leads to more meaningful interactions and a user experience that feels remarkably human.

https://english.newstracklive.com/news/gemini-ai-is-more-powerful-than-chat-gpt-5-special-things-about-this-google-tool-sc71-nu371-ta371-1305273-1.html

Expanding Horizons with Microcredential Initiatives - Lisa Templeton, Illumination Podcast Modern Campus

As microcredentials become embedded in the institutional strategy, it is imperative for higher ed leaders to prioritize accessibility and foster a culture of collaboration. This entails ensuring access across campus and securing the commitment of all stakeholders, resulting in a seamless and effective implementation.

https://moderncampus.com/podcast/episode-onehundredtwentyeight.html

Employers willing to pay ‘premium’ for AI-skilled workers, survey finds - Alexei Alexis, Higher Ed Dive

Hiring workers with artificial intelligence skills is a priority for nearly three quarters (73%) of employers, but the majority of them are struggling to find such talent, according to a recent survey commissioned by Amazon Web Services. Organizations indicated they would be willing to hike pay levels for AI-skilled workers across business functions, with salaries potentially rising by an average of 43% in sales and marketing; 42% in finance; 37% in legal, regulatory, and compliance; and 35% in human resources. “The anticipated pay premiums across departments is because AI’s key benefits — automating tasks, boosting creativity, and improving outcomes — have dispersed applications across departments and tasks,” the report said. “Employers anticipate that workers with AI skills will be able to drive additional productivity and higher-quality work, which would command a salary increase.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/employers-pay-more-ai-skills/700920/

The Ivy League Gets Attention, but Public Universities Are Far More Important - Naomi Oreskes, Scientific American

Media attention to Ivy League schools distracts from the much more important—and undersupported—public university system. The past decades have seen huge increases in costs at public institutions of higher education. Measured in constant dollars, in the 1963–1964 academic year, tuition, room and board at four-year public institutions was $8,491. By 2021–2022 that figure was $21,878—almost three times as high. Declining state support is a major contributor to rising fees—and not just in “red” states. At the University of California, San Diego—where I taught for many years—the share of revenues that came from state support declined from 32 percent in 2002 to 15 percent in 2020; similar patterns can be found broadly. According to the National Education Association, “across the U.S., 32 states spent less on public colleges and universities in 2020 than in 2008, with an average decline of nearly $1,500 per student. As a result, students need to pay (and borrow) more.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-ivy-league-gets-attention-but-public-universities-are-far-more-important/

From Digital Native to AI-Empowered: Learning in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - Kim Round, Campus Technology

The artificial intelligence revolution is upon us, marking a significant leap for the future of both work and education. Unlike past technological surges, this one resonates similarly to the widespread adoption of the Web in the 90s. And as someone deeply involved in the nexus of learning and technology with a focus on learning experience design (LxD), I see key similarities and differentiators as AI emerges. Perhaps most striking is that AI adoption by the general public is advancing at a pace surpassing that of its digital forebear. The progression is notably more rapid; the adoption more ubiquitous; and the potential reach near limitless. AI innovations emerge within days, in contrast to the months-long development cycles of early 2000s Web applications.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2023/10/18/from-digital-native-to-ai-empowered-learning-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence.aspx

Indiana Supreme Court upholds ban on class action suits over higher education pandemic policies - Brandon Smith, IPB News

A state law banning class action lawsuits against Indiana colleges and universities over their COVID-19 policies is constitutional, according to a new ruling from the Indiana Supreme Court. The decision issued Wednesday comes from a student’s lawsuit against Ball State. Keller Mellowitz sued Ball State, seeking a refund after in-person classes were canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. And he sued on behalf of himself and other students — a class action. But the Indiana legislature passed a law, HEA 1002-2021, banning class actions against higher education institutions related to their handling of COVID-19. Mellowitz argued that law was unconstitutional because it interfered with court procedures, which should be the sole purview of the judiciary.

https://www.wbaa.org/public-affairs/2023-11-27/indiana-supreme-court-upholds-ban-on-class-action-suits-over-higher-education-pandemic-policies

In digital and AI transformations, start with the problem, not the technology - Eric Lamarre, McKinsey

Digital and AI transformations are everywhere. Almost every company has done, is doing, or plans to do one. But how can you make the changes stick? In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, McKinsey senior partner Eric Lamarre talks about the critical elements of what it takes to rewire an organization through making fundamental changes to talent, operating model, and technology and data capabilities. Eric Lamarre: "It should always start with the business problem you want to solve. When it starts that way, there is usually a good ending because the problem eventually ties back to serving customers better and delivering more value for the company. When business leaders say, “That’s the problem I want to solve with technology,” it becomes easier to develop the technology road map to solve that problem."

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/in-digital-and-ai-transformations-start-with-the-problem-not-the-technology

1 big thing: DC's hottest new job — chief AI officer - Ina Fried, Ryan Heath - Axios

Hundreds of agencies across the federal government are scrambling to find more than 400 chief AI officers by the end of the year, as Ryan reports. Why it matters: The requirement, one of the edicts of President Biden's recent AI executive order, aims to make sure every arm of government has a top exec who is ready to deal with AI. Driving the news: The Office of Management and Budget released guidance to federal agencies on how to implement Biden's AI executive order — and how to hire a chief AI officer (CAIO) is on top of that list. The Executive Office of the President is also required to hire a Chief AI Officer, per the memorandum's definition of federal agencies. The order gave agencies a 60-day window to designate a person for this role and we are now approximately halfway through that window.

https://www.axios.com/2023/11/27/ai-jobs-dc-biden-chief-officer-tech

U.S., U.K., and Global Partners Release Secure AI System Development Guidelines - Hacker News

The U.K. and U.S., along with international partners from 16 other countries, have released new guidelines for the development of secure artificial intelligence (AI) systems. "The approach prioritizes ownership of security outcomes for customers, embraces radical transparency and accountability, and establishes organizational structures where secure design is a top priority," the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said. The goal is to increase cyber security levels of AI and help ensure that the technology is designed, developed, and deployed in a secure manner, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) added.

https://thehackernews.com/2023/11/us-uk-and-global-partners-release.html

Bold Predictions for GPT-5: The Next Leap in AI Evolution - AICavaleiro, Medium.com

As GPT-4 continues to astound us with its capabilities, the AI community is already buzzing with speculation about what GPT-5 might bring. Based on the trajectory of advancements from GPT-3 to GPT-4, here are some bold predictions about the capabilities and functionalities we might see in GPT-5. One of the most anticipated developments in GPT-5 is the creation of internal autonomous agents specialized in specific tasks. This could mean experiencing an AI that seamlessly handles complex projects by delegating tasks to expert AI agents in fields like research, bug testing, and mathematics. Such a system would present as a singular, all-capable AI but operate through a network of specialized sub-agents.·

https://medium.com/@aicavaleiro/bold-predictions-for-gpt-5-the-next-leap-in-ai-evolution-140b539605af

Five Ways Higher Education Can Leverage Generative AI - Renee Laverdiere, et al, Boston Consulting Group

Across all industries, equal measures of excitement and anxiety are accompanying these rapid changes; however, the concern seems particularly acute in higher education. Educators and administrators are being compelled to react quickly to a technology that can reshape research, writing, and individual program areas. And incidents of students using ChatGPT improperly is not making their jobs any easier. GenAI invites colleges and universities to not only adapt, but to leverage the promise of these technologies to unlock greater value in a variety of areas from recruitment marketing and student experience to faculty workload and intellectual property. Based on our research and discussions with clients, and given our broad expertise in education and technology, we have identified five major ways that higher education can leverage GenAI. We offer ideas for how institutions can navigate this journey as well as promising practices from early adopters.

https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/five-ways-education-can-leverage-gen-ai

Generative Artificial Intelligence Committee Report - University of Michigan

We are pleased to share with you the initial report from the U-M Generative Artificial Intelligence Advisory (GAIA) Committee. This group was tasked with assessing the opportunities and challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), particularly as it relates to U-M and our ongoing mission. We want to thank every member of the committee who spent countless hours crafting this report. GenAI is shifting paradigms in higher education, business, the arts, and every aspect of our society. This report represents an important first step in U-M serving as a global leader in fostering the responsible, ethical, and equitable use of GenAI in our community and beyond. As you review this document, we ask that you consider the context of how it was created. This is meant to be a catalyst for crystalizing our thinking about how U-M should navigate the shifting landscape of GenAI.

https://genai.umich.edu/committee-report

Work experience, not college, prepared employees for jobs, study finds - Ginger Crist, Higher Ed Dive

Nearly half of workers (46%) don’t think higher education prepared them for their current jobs, according to a survey released Nov. 8 by online learning platform Go1. Sixty-one percent of the 3,000 full-time office workers surveyed in Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. said work experience was the best preparation for their positions, followed by formal on-the-job training and life experience. Half of the respondents said they wish they had known how to handle career progression prior to entering the workforce. Employees also said they wish they had better understood the fundamentals of the role and how to collaborate across departments. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed said learning and development opportunities make or break their decision to take a job or stay at a company, and 73% said their current employer provides L&D options that meet their needs, the survey found.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/experience-prepared-workers-for-jobs/699746/

Sam Altman’s Second Coming Sparks New Fears of the AI Apocalypse - Peter Guest & Morgan Meaker, Wired

As Altman toured the world in 2023, warning the media and governments about the existential dangers of the technology that he himself was building, he portrayed OpenAI’s unusual for-profit-within-a-nonprofit structure as a firebreak against the irresponsible development of powerful AI. Whatever Altman did with Microsoft’s billions, the board could keep him and other company leaders in check. If he started acting dangerously or against the interests of humanity, in the board’s view, the group could eject him. “The board can fire me, I think that’s important,” Altman told Bloomberg in June. “It turns out that they couldn’t fire him, and that was bad,” says Toby Ord, senior research fellow in philosophy at Oxford University, and a prominent voice among people who warn AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

https://www.wired.com/story/sam-altman-second-coming-sparks-new-fears-ai-apocalypse/

Inflection-2: The Next Step Up - Inflection

"Hey there, great to meet you. I’m Pi, your personal AI. My goal is to be useful, friendly and fun. Ask me for advice, for answers, or let’s talk about whatever’s on your mind."  Our mission at Inflection is to create a personal AI for everyone. Just a few months ago, we announced Inflection-1 — a best-in-class language model that currently powers Pi. Our new model, Inflection-2, is substantially more capable than Inflection-1, demonstrating much improved factual knowledge, better stylistic control, and dramatically improved reasoning. Designed with serving efficiency in mind, Inflection-2 will soon be powering Pi. We thank our partners NVIDIA, Microsoft, and CoreWeave for their collaboration and support in building our AI cluster that made the training of Inflection-1 and Inflection-2 possible.

https://inflection.ai/inflection-2

7 ways to make sure your data is ready for generative AI - Joe McKendrick, ZDNet

 A recent McKinsey report, led by auhtors Joe Caserta and Kayvaun Rowshankish, points out there is unrelenting pressure to "do something with generative AI". The report authors suggest IT and data managers "will need to develop a clear view of the data implications of generative AI." Perhaps most challenging "is generative AI's ability to work with unstructured data, such as chats, videos, and code," according to Caserta and his team. "Data organizations have traditionally had capabilities to work with only structured data, such as data in tables." This shift in data concerns means organizations need to rethink the overall data architecture supporting generative AI initiatives. "While this might sound like old news, the cracks in the system a business could get away with before will become big problems with generative AI. 

https://www.zdnet.com/article/7-ways-to-make-sure-your-data-is-ready-for-generative-ai/

The rise of generative AI: A timeline of triumphs, hiccups and hype - Lindsey Wilkinson, CIO Dive

Ahead of the one year anniversary of ChatGPT’s debut, CIO Dive compiled the key generative AI milestones that stamped the technology into the enterprise lexicon. Analysts and executives characterize generative AI as the biggest technological advancement since the internet, both in interest levels and its ability to disrupt the way work gets done. CIOs went from talking about generative AI once or twice a year to the technology dominating conversations in the boardroom, with C-suite members and at the proverbial watercooler. While there are still some unanswered questions, most technology leaders are entering the early stages of adoption. A lot has changed in a short time, so CIO Dive compiled a timeline to capture generative AI’s key advancements in the last year. This is not a comprehensive list, but rather the highlight — and lowlight — reel for generative AI thus far.

https://www.ciodive.com/news/generative-ai-one-year-chatgpt-openai-timeline/698110/

10 Ways to Make Online Learning More Effective - CIO Look

 Online learning presents a unique set of challenges, but with the right strategies, it can be an incredibly rewarding and effective educational experience. By setting clear objectives, creating a conducive learning environment, practicing disciplined time management, and actively engaging with the course material and resources, you can maximize the benefits of your online education. Remember, the key to success in online learning is a combination of self-motivation, effective planning, and a proactive approach to your studies. Embrace the flexibility and opportunities that online learning offers, and you’ll find yourself not just learning but thriving in this digital educational landscape.

https://ciolook.com/10-ways-to-make-online-learning-more-effective/

The Reach of Online Learning to Ensure Continuing Access to Education - Amy Blumenthal, USC Viterbi

 With many students in the world today living under challenging circumstances, continuing access to educational opportunities can be nearly impossible. Recognizing these unforeseen challenges, USC Viterbi faculty turned to DEN@Viterbi, the Distance Education Network at USC Viterbi, with more than 50 years of experience in hybrid and remote learning, to help students whose education has been suddenly interrupted or curtailed.  As a result, over the last year, free access to USC Viterbi engineering classes and workshops were offered to students, living in two different regions in the world, war-torn Ukraine and Afghanistan, in order to ensure that students in such unique and volatile circumstances had the opportunity to continue their education. 

https://viterbischool.usc.edu/news/2023/11/the-reach-of-online-learning-to-ensure-continuing-access-to-education/

Report: Multiple Aspects of Higher Ed Can Benefit from AI Use - Arrman Kyaw, Diverse Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to benefit multiple aspects of higher education, from logistics to the student experience, according to a new playbook from Complete College America and T3 Advisory.  The playbook, “Attainment with AI Making a Real Difference in College Completion with Artificial Intelligence,” describes the ways in which higher ed can take advantage of what AI has to offer amid the surge in AI discussion this year. “AI presents an untapped well of opportunities to transform higher education for the better: augmenting capacity among employees who support students in a time of dwindling resources, improving the student experience through timely information, predicting students that would benefit from additional support, customizing messaging to individual students, enabling highly personalized interventions that build on strengths rather than deficits, mining previously unruly datasets, and more that we have yet even to understand,” the publication wrote. 

https://www.diverseeducation.com/reports-data/article/15658575/report-multiple-aspects-of-higher-ed-can-benefit-from-ai-use

Generative AI: The teacher that can help close the skills gap? - Taryn Plumb, Venture Beat

This is another area that — like so many others — where generative AI offers transformative promise, according to Cypher Learning. The learning management system provider released a study this week exploring leaders’ challenges with upskilling, their exploration of gen AI in building training materials and the promise the technology holds in repairing the schism between the number of workers and available jobs. “Generative AI is already transforming employee training,” CYPHER Learning founder and CEO Graham Glass told VentureBeat. “In 2024, the focus will be on reimagining education with AI at its core.”

https://venturebeat.com/ai/generative-ai-the-teacher-that-can-help-close-the-skills-gap/

4 Unimaginable Ways A.I. Will Change Your Life Within the Next 5 Years, According to Bill Gates - Minda Zetlin, Inc.

Do you use Windows, macOS, or Linux? iOS or Android? Today, these seem like meaningful choices, but five years from none of us will care about any of those because our agents will function as operating systems or platforms, Gates writes. Today, if you want to write an email, you might open Gmail or Outlook. If you want to create a document, you might open Microsoft Word or Google Docs. But five years from now, you won't do any of that, Gates predicts. "You won't have to use different apps for different tasks," he writes. "You'll simply tell your device, in everyday language, what you want to do. And depending on how much information you choose to share with it, the software will be able to respond personally because it will have a rich understanding of your life."

https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/4-unimaginable-ways-ai-will-change-your-life-within-next-5-years-according-to-bill-gates.html

Vision Me This: Continuing Education Circa 2028 - Michael Frasciello, Evolllution

What’s that? You’re curious about the future of Continuing Education? Well, I just happen to have here a crystal ball of destiny. For an inconsequential fee, it will be my delight to conjure a five-year vision of Continuing Education that will not require you to suspend your disbelief longer than it takes to finish a bag of popcorn. Voila! Look closely as the crystal ball replays for us the immediate past. See how from their typically ordinary position within the university, Continuing Education units were left to watch (often with awe and a sprinkle of wonder) how higher education managed, mismanaged and otherwise muddled through so much of the disruption experienced since 2020. But then look here at how, out of necessity, Continuing Education units aggressively leaned into the disruption to capitalize on market conditions and create growth opportunities where other areas of their universities experienced contraction, atrophy or failure. Now the vision shifts forward—yes a five-year view forward—where we can see abundant opportunity and change realized by making only a few modest assumptions. 

https://evolllution.com/revenue-streams/extending_lifelong_learning/vision-me-this-continuing-education-circa-2028-0

How Technology is Transforming Education in the Modern Era - Kyle Curtis, Student Assembly

Technology has revolutionized the traditional model of classroom instruction. Online learning offers students more flexibility and access to various courses and instructors. Blended learning combines traditional face-to-face instructions with online tools. Personalized learning enables teachers to customize their pedagogy to each student’s unique needs and interests. Augmented reality, virtual reality, and gamification are being used to create an engaging and stimulating learning experience.

https://www.studentassembly.org/technology-is-transforming-education-in-modern-era/

‘ChatGPT on steroids’: professors bring AI into the classroom - Valentina Moreno, the Princetonian

Professor Pramod Viswanath, an Electrical and Computer Engineering professor, calls his creation “Blockie.” It's an Artificial Intelligence teaching assistant fed with lectures and notes from his advanced engineering class. While some Princeton professors have banned AI tools, Viswanath's program highlights their pedagogical potentials in the classroom. Princeton’s Office of the Dean of the College and the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School sent a memo to all teaching faculty highlighting the University’s flexibility around AI tools. The memo, titled “AI & ChatGPT Guidance for Teaching,” provided guidance for how to engage with this technology in the classroom and addressed ChatGPT’s notoriety in the media. The memo said each faculty member has free reign regarding the use of ChatGPT,  but they should bear in mind the explicit academic integrity rules and collaboration policies under the University’s Honor Code and Academic Regulations.

https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/11/princeton-features-professors-creative-approaches-to-chatgpt-2023

As Bill Gates invests in personal AI, says agents will be a ‘shock wave’ - Sharon Goldman, Venture Beat

In a blog post yesterday about how personal AI agents will completely change how people use computers — just a few days after OpenAI announced its “baby steps” towards agents with its Assistants API — Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said that personal AI agents will be a ‘shock wave’ in the tech industry and society. “In the near future, anyone who’s online will be able to have a personal assistant powered by artificial intelligence that’s far beyond today’s technology,” he wrote. “Agents will be able to help with virtually any activity and any area of life. The ramifications for the software business and for society will be profound.”

https://venturebeat.com/ai/as-bill-gates-invests-in-personal-ai-says-agents-will-be-a-shock-wave/

Canada treats its adjunct professors better than the U.S. does – and it pays off for students - Jon Marcus, Hechinger Report

As an adjunct faculty member at a Canadian university, Jassim has four teaching assistants to help him grade assignments and answer questions. He makes the equivalent of about $7,000 per course, per term. He has a multiyear contract and can typically pick the subjects that he teaches. He has an office, access to professional training and government-provided health insurance. All of these things, he said, help him focus on the reason that he’s there: his students.And few of these benefits, or that kind of pay, are available to his counterparts south of the border, in the United States.

https://hechingerreport.org/canada-treats-its-adjunct-professors-better-than-the-us-does-and-it-pays-off-for-students/

Rise of AI marks new chapter for university librarians - Lauren Coffey, Inside Higher Ed

 A few months after ChatGPT was launched last autumn, faculty and students at Northwestern University had many questions about the building wave of new artificial intelligence tools. So they turned to a familiar source of help: the library. “At the time it was seen as a research and citation problem, so that led them to us,” said Michelle Guittar, head of instruction and curriculum support at Northwestern University Libraries. In response, Ms Guittar, along with librarian Jeanette Moss, created a landing page in April, “Using AI tools in your research”. At the time, the university itself had yet to put together a comprehensive resource page. “It was knowing this was not just one person that was going to ask about this,” Ms Guittar said. Librarians have often stood at the precipice of massive changes in information technology: the dawn of the fax machine, the internet, Wikipedia and now the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, which has been creeping its way into classrooms.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/rise-ai-marks-new-chapter-university-librarians

ChatGPT's Knowledge Base Finally Extends Beyond 2021 - Michael Kan, PC Mag

 OpenAI is updating ChatGPT’s knowledge base so that it can finally respond about things that occurred after September 2021.The change is part of a slew of improvements OpenAI is making to its AI program, including the ability for anyone—including people who can’t program—to create custom ChatGPT models. During its first annual developer day, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman introduced GPT-4 Turbo, a new large language model for ChatGPT, which currently runs on GPT-3.5 or GPT-4 models. GPT-4 Turbo is designed to address “many of the things” that developers and users have been asking for, Altman says, including more up-to-date information. "We will try to never let it get that out-of-date again,” according to Altman, who says the GPT-4 Turbo model updates the chatbot’s knowledge base up to April 2023. “And we will continue to improve that over time,” he adds.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/chatgpts-knowledge-base-finally-extends-beyond-2021

White House’s Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence Identifies Education as a Critical Field for AI Use and Oversight - MICHELLE HON DONOVAN, Duane Morris

The executive order identifies education as a critical field where the federal government will take advantage of advances in AI technologies, but also needs to protect consumers and the public from adverse impacts. Job training and education will provide access to students to learn about AI. Resources will be made available to those who experience displacement in the workforce due to AI. The order makes clear that the federal government will continue to enforce existing consumer protections as AI evolves. These include those safeguarding consumers from “fraud, unintended bias, discrimination, infringements on privacy, and other harms from AI.” The executive order also directs the Secretary of Education to develop policies concerning the use and impact of AI in education in consultation with stakeholders.

https://blogs.duanemorris.com/updateeducation/2023/11/06/white-houses-executive-order-identifies-education-as-a-critical-field-for-ai-use-and-oversight/

Adjunct faculty face low pay, minimal administrative support, AFT finds - Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive

A new American Federation of Teachers survey documents the struggles contingent faculty face, including a lack of healthcare benefits and job security.  More than a quarter of adjunct faculty report annual earnings under $26,500, which is below the federal poverty line for a family of four. That’s according to survey data released October by American Federation of Teachers, a major union which represents 300,000 higher education workers. Many contingent faculty also lack access to employer benefits and have little, if any, job security, the survey found. For most, employment is only guaranteed for a term or semester at a time, the survey found. Among respondents who had been terminated for nonperformance reasons, almost 41% received less than a week’s notice.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/adjunct-faculty-face-low-pay-minimal-support-aft-finds/698945/

Maximizing Return on Education with Micropathways for Workforce Development - Joseph Thiel & Lisa Larson, Evolllution

The importance of a robust college-to-career pipeline strategy has become increasingly evident in higher education. By forging partnerships and designing pathways, higher ed institutions can help learners get on a good career path for themselves and their families. In this interview, Joe Thiel and Lisa Larson discuss the career pipeline strategy higher ed needs, common challenges they face and what it takes to get intuitional buy-in.

https://evolllution.com/maximizing-return-on-education-with-micropathways-for-workforce-development

Trump Free College Plan Taps ‘Restless Discontent’ Over Higher Ed - Katherine Knott, Inside Higher Ed

The plan to create a national online college is a political nonstarter, experts say, but it capitalizes on concerns about price and politics in higher education. Trump, in rolling out his plan last week for what he is calling the American Academy, said he’s seeking “a revolution in higher education.” Experts, however, aren’t so sure that the plan will move forward at all if Trump is elected. But the vision for a national college funded with taxes on wealthy private universities reflects the growing bipartisan frustrations with American higher education, particularly about the cost, experts said.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2023/11/06/trump-hits-colleges-wokeness-pitches-free-online

Will ChatGPT change our definitions of cheating? - Tom Muir, Times Higher Education

One is that we might need to write modules in which we tell students that they can use ChatGPT to their hearts’ content – it will not be classed as misconduct, but they need to document what they are doing. Such an approach would allow us to get an understanding of what students are doing and how they are incorporating LLMs into their own work habits. We could then start refining our definitions of misconduct in the light of what we find out. Our starting points, in other words, should be understanding how students might benefit from using LLMs at different points in their degrees. From there, we might consider what uses are legitimate and what might be “too much”.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/will-chatgpt-change-our-definitions-cheating

For marketers, generative AI changed everything in 2023 - Sharon Goldman, Venture Beat

Generative AI is completely transforming the business of marketing, say a variety of experts VentureBeat spoke to over the past few weeks, including executives, vendors, agencies and consultants.  Marketing, with its goal of identifying and communicating with customers — through data analysis and content creation — has long been cited as one of the most obvious candidates for disruption by generative AI tools. Hundreds of generative AI marketing applications and platforms have gotten attention in the wake of ChatGPT’s release in November 2022 (even if they were released earlier), including Jasper, Writer, Copy.ai and Notion for copywriting; and DALL-E 3, Midjourney, Runway Gen-2,  Synthesia, Canva and Adobe Firefly for images, video and design. 

https://venturebeat.com/ai/for-marketers-generative-ai-changed-everything-in-2023/

Ask the Professor: Is ChatGPT an issue or a tool? - Maya Dampier, University of Nevada Reno

There is a large spectrum on which students and professors fall on whether or not AI has a place in higher educatio. At the University of Nevada Reno, Kathy Hanselman and Angie Chase are part of a team that has created micro-learning events for faculty breaking down different questions and topics in 12 minutes. Hanselman and Chase are Instructional Designers with the Office of Digital Learning and have conducted these events called “Teach in 12” since the spring semester of 2023. This semester they have focused on technology in teaching, specifically with AI, to try and tackle some of the difficult issues surrounding its use by students.“I don’t think we should be afraid of AI,” Hanselman said. “I think all of us, students and faculty, should be doing our best to understand how best to work with it and realize that we do have a place in guiding AI. I think it’s important to use it responsibly and for us faculty members to teach our students how to do that.”

https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2023/atp-ai-in-higher-education

FACT SHEET: President Biden Issues Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence - WhiteHouse

The Executive Order establishes new standards for AI safety and security, protects Americans’ privacy, advances equity and civil rights, stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world, and more. As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive strategy for responsible innovation, the Executive Order builds on previous actions the President has taken, including work that led to voluntary commitments from 15 leading companies to drive safe, secure, and trustworthy development of AI.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/

Women academics quit due to workplace climate: Study - Nathan M Greenfield, University World News

Women professors are more likely to leave the profession because of the ‘chilly climate’ of their departments than are their male colleagues, says a new study of American professors active between 2011 and 2020. The odds of these women feeling ‘pushed from their jobs’ is 44% higher than it is for their male colleagues, while the odds of these women feeling pulled towards a better position is 39% lower than for men professors, says the study, conducted by Katie Spoon, computer science professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and eight co-authors.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20231026141118285

Enhancing Online Student Learning with Academic Library Services - Faye L. Lesht, Faculty Focus

I begin with a caveat. I am not an academic librarian. In fact, I have never worked in a library. However, as a former instructor of online courses, I have seen first-hand the power of introducing a librarian to a group of online students and how such exposure can lead to curiosity on a topic and deepen student learning. I have also heard online students praise library services as the most valuable support service they experienced during their programs. Furthermore, I watched while an institution changed the role of library services specialist from a one-person position with its own office including “stacks” of books and materials that could be sent to off-campus sites where instruction was held, to a role integrated within several information specialists throughout the campus’ libraries due to the growth of online programs and the ubiquitous nature of online learning.  

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/enhancing-online-student-learning-with-academic-library-services/

Using AI to help more college students graduate - Dean Dara N. Byrne, Google Public Policy

When I started as Undergraduate Dean of John Jay College, our senior graduation rate was 54%. I knew we could do better for our students. To address this problem, we partnered with DataKind, a nonprofit that works to tackle the world’s toughest challenges using data science. For two years, we collaborated on a predictive Artificial Intelligence (AI) model to identify students most at risk of dropping out. We looked at indicators including years of enrollment, grades, and number of hours passed to create a risk score for every student, while controlling for bias. Students identified as high risk of dropping out received extra, proactive support from advisors such as one-on-one coaching. Hundreds of students benefited from this program, which ultimately drove the College’s senior graduation rate up to 86%.

https://publicpolicy.google/article/ai-helping-college-students-graduate/

Advancing Student Learning at CMU Through Generative AI - Michael Henninger, Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University’s Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation is launching a Generative Artificial Intelligence Teaching as Research (GAITAR) Initiative, which will include several new efforts to bring generative AI to classrooms across CMU. The Center launched a series of GAITAR Institutes to promote instructor-led innovations and educational research designs across diverse contexts. Additionally, the Eberly Center is now seeking applicants for its GAITAR Fellowship 2023. New to the Eberly Center’s portfolio of offerings, the GAITAR Fellowship provides $5,000 for a CMU instructor to design and implement a teaching innovation using a generative AI tool in a spring, summer or fall 2024 CMU course. They must then measure the impacts of the innovation on student learning and disseminate their findings at CMU and beyond. The deadline for applications is Nov. 1. 

https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2023/october/advancing-student-learning-at-cmu-through-generative-ai

U.S. Bans Most Withholding of Transcripts - Katherine Knott, Inside Higher Ed

A federal policy change could give thousands of students access to transcripts and academic credits their colleges have withheld because they owed the institutions money. The new rule, part of a broad package of regulations the U.S. Education Department unveiled Tuesday, could amount to a national ban on the practice of transcript withholding, experts say. Institutions sometimes withhold transcripts to force a student to pay a balance on their account. Without their transcripts, students often can’t continue their education elsewhere without starting over, and they cannot apply for certain jobs. The practice has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, with dozens of states enacting their own bans.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2023/10/25/new-us-rules-ban-transcript-holds-bolster-oversight

Frontier risk and preparedness - OpenAI

 We believe that frontier AI models, which will exceed the capabilities currently present in the most advanced existing models, have the potential to benefit all of humanity. But they also pose increasingly severe risks. Managing the catastrophic risks from frontier AI will require answering questions like:

How dangerous are frontier AI systems when put to misuse, both now and in the future? 

How can we build a robust framework for monitoring, evaluation, prediction, and protection against the dangerous capabilities of frontier AI systems?

If our frontier AI model weights were stolen, how might malicious actors choose to leverage them?

We need to ensure we have the understanding and infrastructure needed for the safety of highly capable AI systems.

https://openai.com/blog/frontier-risk-and-preparedness

8 Generative AI Lessons From The Classroom - Beata M. Jones, Forbes

The marriage between Generative AI and academia is more of a dynamic dance than a set path—where both teachers and students are perpetually learning new steps. Consider the lessons we've gathered as new dance moves, each one improving our educational ballet.Offering courses that effectively prepare students today for collaborative work with generative AI in the future is a challenge that few instructors have mastered well. Several key lessons have emerged from the Neeley School of Business, Texas Christian University classrooms, where I teach, that might be helpful to effectively harness the generative AI tools in other educational contexts.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/beatajones/2023/10/26/8-generative-ai-lessons-from-the-classroom/

Ghost in the Machine: OpenAI CEO Sees ChatGPT on Track From AI to AGI - Jose Antonio Lanz, Decrypt

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman delved into the transformative potential of AI, hinting at a future where data takes a backseat to reasoning. Sam Altman, the visionary CEO of OpenAI, shared his take on the trajectory of artificial intelligence, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "The future might see AI models requiring less training data, focusing more on their reasoning capabilities," Altman said. This statement doesn't just suggest a technical shift, but presages a new era where AI's thought processes could mirror human logic and intuition. An AI able to reach such capabilities—the adaptability and common sense of a person—is broadly known as Artificial General Intelligence. Sam Altman defines it as “a system that can generalize across many domains that would be equivalent to human work.”

https://decrypt.co/202877/openai-ai-agi-sam-altman-wall-street-journal

AI and Peer Review: Enemies or Allies? - Lauren Coffey, Inside Higher Ed

Debate over the use of artificial intelligence, already touching everything from admissions to grading, has reached peer reviewing, as academics balance technological uncertainty and ethical concerns with potential solutions for persistent peer-review problems. “We’re seeing the human peer-review system is really stressed,” said James Zou, an assistant professor of biomedical science data at Stanford University. “The number of papers have increased by several-fold over the last few years, and it’s challenging to find a lot of high-quality reviewers who have the time and expertise to review the paper.”

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/artificial-intelligence/2023/10/24/ai-can-lessen-peer-review-woes-researchers

What learning model of higher education will prevail? - Tom Striplin, Cumberland Times-News

In 2015, the Carnegie Foundation itself published a document titled “The Carnegie Unit: A Century-Old Standard in a Changing Education Landscape,” recognizing the need for change. The landscape of education is undergoing a profound transformation due to the proliferation of new models and avenues for accessing advanced learning. How the baby-boomer generation learned and the information available to them has undergone significant changes compared to the current generation seeking higher education opportunities. Technological advancements, particularly internet access, search engines like Google, artificial intelligence and the potential for continuous learning are compelling colleges to reinvent themselves to meet consumer needs. The 2015 Carnegie report emphasizes the necessity for “greater flexibility and deeper learning” processes. These models have the potential to revolutionize education delivery on a global scale, unparalleled in history.

https://www.times-news.com/news/tom-striplin-what-learning-model-of-higher-education-will-prevail/article_2525f05e-5c88-11ee-8ee3-cf87c67fddc0.html

Exploring the Realm of Malicious Generative AI: A New Digital Security Challenge - the Hacker News

Recently, the cybersecurity landscape has been confronted with a daunting new reality – the rise of malicious Generative AI, like FraudGPT and WormGPT. These rogue creations, lurking in the dark corners of the internet, pose a distinctive threat to the world of digital security. In this article, we will look at the nature of Generative AI fraud, analyze the messaging surrounding these creations, and evaluate their potential impact on cybersecurity. While it's crucial to maintain a watchful eye, it's equally important to avoid widespread panic, as the situation, though disconcerting, is not yet a cause for alarm.

https://thehackernews.com/2023/10/exploring-realm-of-malicious-generative.html

US accounting degree graduates plunge 7.4% - Jim Tyson, Higher Ed Dive

The number of students who graduated at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year with a degree in accounting plunged 7.4% compared with the prior period, accelerating a six-year trend of declining entrants into the profession. The number of graduates who received a bachelor’s degree fell 7.8% compared with the 2020-2021 period, while those earning a master’s degree declined 6.4%, according to a survey by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. At the conclusion of the 2020-2021 academic year, the number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees awarded fell 2.8% and 4.7%, respectively, compared with the prior period. “We’re still on a downward trajectory for accounting graduates, although it’s worthwhile to note that U.S. university enrollment and earned degrees collectively shrank during this period,” Jan Taylor, the AICPA’s academic in residence, said in a statement.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/us-accounting-degree-graduates-plunge/697021/

Inside HLC’s new effort to vet outside credential providers - Natalie Schwartz, Higher Ed Dive

The accreditor recently launched an initiative called the Credential Lab, which will implement an evaluation model for outside content providers. With a $250,000 grant from the Lumina Foundation to partially support the initiative, HLC’s Credential Lab will develop and implement an evaluation model for vetting the quality of alternative credential providers. “There’s new content providers coming into the picture,” said HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley. “There’s an overwhelming need to have some group — or multiple groups — say there’s a quality assurance of these particular providers.” 

https://www.highereddive.com/news/hlc-credential-lab-alternative-providers/697225/

A New Transfer Pathway From Prison to the CSU - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Education

 Students incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison may soon have guaranteed admission to campuses in the California State University system upon release as a part of a new transfer program. The effort is a partnership with Mount Tamalpais College, a private two-year college based at San Quentin, the only accredited, independent liberal arts college in the country with its main campus based at a prison, according to college officials. The program, which is in the planning stages, will guarantee Mount Tamalpais students a spot at one of the system’s 23 campuses upon their release if they meet certain course requirements. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/academics/2023/10/20/new-transfer-pathway-prison-csu

An algorithm predicts the academic performance of distance education students - Gámez-Granados, J.C., Esteban, A., Rodríguez-Lozano, F.J. et al., AAAS and EurekAlert!

A team from the University of Cordoba has designed a model, based on fuzzy logic, that predicts the performance of online education students, dividing them into 4 categories and helping professors give more personalized assistance to each student, tailored to their situations. Distance education has democratized access to knowledge, overcoming problems of time and space. The flexibility and accessibility of this type of system has increased the number of people educated via online platforms. However, due to its large numbers of students, and the lack of the kind of close interaction that classrooms make possible, professors face a big problem: the difficulty of monitoring and adapting learning to their students. Tools based on Artificial Intelligence can help professors predict their students' performance so that they can adapt their educational strategies to their different learning situations.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1005392

ChatGPT and generative AI: 25 applications to support student engagement - Seb Dianati, Suman Laudari - Times Higher Ed

To help higher education professionals understand, in practical terms, how generative AI could support their work, we are presenting 100 applications of ChatGPT over a five-part series. We have already shared an introduction to prompting generative AI for teaching and learning, followed by 25 prompts relating to teaching and assessment and a further 25 to support administrative tasks. Here, we focus on the AI tool’s potential to enhance student engagement. Below, you will find 25 examples of prompts that show how generative AI can help keep students interested, connected and motivated.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/chatgpt-and-generative-ai-25-applications-support-student-engagement 

Smarter than humans in 5 years? The breakneck pace of AI - Gary Grossman Edelman, Venture Beat

“By 2029, computers will have human-level intelligence,” Ray Kurzweil said in an interview several years ago. He further predicted that by 2045, AI will have achieved the “Singularity,” the point when “we will multiply our effective intelligence a billion-fold by merging with the intelligence we have created.”  In a recent 60 Minutes interview, Geoffrey Hinton asserted that current leading AI models, like those developed by OpenAI and Google, already possess genuine intelligence and reasoning abilities. Notably, he added that those models can have experiences of their own in the same sense that humans do. While he does not believe they are conscious now (in our general sense of the concept), Hinton said that in time the AI systems will have consciousness.

https://venturebeat.com/ai/smarter-than-humans-in-5-years-the-breakneck-pace-of-ai/

Higher education cornerstone of workforce - Muskogee Phoenix Editorial Board

Oklahoma needs a qualified workforce to compete in today’s economy. The chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education presented an encouraging portrait of how the state’s colleges and universities help meet that need. Allison D. Garrett told those gathered at the State of Education luncheon this week that colleges keep finding new ways to support Oklahoma’s workforce. Garrett said career-focused credentials — micro-credentials — are one way colleges help Oklahoma businesses and industries. Employees can pursue micro-credentials online to boost their careers and the micro-credentials will count toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. This is one way to improve career advancement while on the job. Micro-credentials will provide additional skills to anyone who needs them.

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/our-view-higher-education-cornerstone-of-workforce/article_8af31068-6a04-11ee-ae1a-633cfa588890.html

AI at the heart of the professional future: How is higher education responding to the growing demand for AI skills? - Alain Goudey, Innovation News Network

Of course, in order for AI to become a seamless part of the higher education community, faculty, as well as students, must be given sufficient ongoing training on the topic. This can be achieved in a number of ways, such as providing workshops and additional training programmes. In fact, at NEOMA, we have recently introduced mandatory training sessions on generative AI, and have also created an open course online for our entire community. We believe it is vital that entire business school communities are informed and well-trained with generative AI as it continues to infiltrate across sectors.

https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/how-is-higher-education-responding-to-the-growing-demand-for-ai-skills/38183/

The Power of Micro-Credentials, Certificates, and Degrees - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli, TD

In today’s rapidly evolving professional landscape, the quest for continuous learning and skill development is essential for career success. Nowhere is this more evident than in the training and development field. Professionals dedicated to enhancing the workforce’s skills and knowledge must continually upskill themselves to meet the ever-changing demands of their roles. One effective way to do this is by pursuing a higher education graduate degree, graduate certificate, or micro-credential, which can significantly support your journey toward career advancement in the training and development sector. Here are six ways these options can benefit you.

https://www.td.org/atd-blog/the-power-of-micro-credentials-certificates-and-degrees

Reducing AI Anxiety Starts by Talking with Students - Demian Hommel and Bradley Cohen, Faculty Focus

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is consuming a growing share of our collective consciousness. Like many educators, we’ve spent months processing the media coverage and pondering AI’s potential impact on the future: Is AI “an absolute systems-level threat to education” as some argue? Will it spell the end of countless jobs or create new horizons for teaching, research, and meaningful work? Will AI save or enslave us?  It’s equal parts exciting and exhausting. But as educators, it’s important to remember we aren’t the only ones struggling to find our footing.  

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/reducing-ai-anxiety-starts-by-talking-with-students/

Mastering generative AI: crafting reusable prompts for effective learning design - Richard McInnes, Ajay Kulkarni, Times Higher Ed

The generative AI-enabled era of learning design, where gen-AI tools are reshaping the way we teach and learn, has ushered in a new era of possibilities for course design. However, as with any new tool, there is a learning curve, and one aspect of gen-AI that requires careful consideration is how we write effective prompts. So, how can we maximise the efficacy of gen-AI outputs? When we first start using generative AI tools, we often find ourselves engaged in a back-and-forth conversation, fine-tuning prompts until we elicit the desired response. But using gen-AI through trial and error is a time-consuming process that may yield inconsistent outcomes. There exists a more efficient approach to prompt interaction – one that involves deliberate experimentation with various prompt combinations to create reusable prompts.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/mastering-generative-ai-crafting-reusable-prompts-effective-learning-design

"Godfather of Artificial Intelligence" Geoffrey Hinton on the promise, risks of advanced AI - Scott Pelley, 60-minutes

Whether you think artificial intelligence will save the world or end it, you have Geoffrey Hinton to thank. Hinton has been called "the Godfather of AI," a British computer scientist whose controversial ideas helped make advanced artificial intelligence possible and, so, changed the world. Hinton believes that AI will do enormous good but, tonight, he has a warning. He says that AI systems may be more intelligent than we know and there's a chance the machines could take over. Which made us ask the question:

"Does humanity know what it's doing?" Geoffrey Hinton: No. I think we're moving into a period when for the first time ever we may have things more intelligent than us.  "You believe they can understand?" Geoffrey Hinton: Yes.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/geoffrey-hinton-ai-dangers-60-minutes-transcript/

Lawmakers press state leaders on land-grant HBCU funding gaps - Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive

 Here’s how legislators are reacting after the Biden administration accused 16 states of underfunding historically Black land-grants by over $12 billion. Lawmakers press state leaders on land-grant HBCU funding gaps Here’s how legislators are reacting after the Biden administration accused 16 states of underfunding historically Black land-grants by over $12 billion. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack sent states individual letters detailing their land-grant HBCUs’ level of underfunding. Tennessee and North Carolina had the largest deficits of more than $2 billion.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/lawmakers-react-hbcu-funding-disparities-biden/696035/

Aging states to college graduates: We’ll pay you to stay - Jon Marcus, Hechinger Report

 Some states with aging populations and worker shortages are dangling incentives of as much as $100,000 toward paying off the student loan debt of college graduates if they agree to stay. “Generally, there is a massive shortage of talent, particularly in certain skilled talent areas,” said Jamie Kohn, senior research director for the human resources practice of the Gartner consulting firm, who said competition for college graduates is fierce. “Student loan repayment may be a way for states to mitigate some of the loss of wage growth that people are feeling” so they not only stay, but can afford to start families and buy houses.

https://hechingerreport.org/aging-states-to-college-graduates-well-pay-you-to-stay/

North Carolina Forces Changes to Accreditation - Josh Moody, Inside Higher Ed

 North Carolina colleges and universities will be required to change accreditors every cycle, according to a new bill that was passed amid a flurry of other legislation and signed into law last week. Lawmakers slipped the requirement to change accreditors—which follows similar legislation passed in Florida in 2022—into a bill that made a series of statutory changes, such as requiring the state’s high school students to pass a computer science course to graduate and requiring pornographic websites to verify the ages of users. Tucked among the changes was a new rule barring state colleges and universities from using the same accreditor for consecutive cycles.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/accreditation/2023/10/10/new-north-carolina-law-forces-changes-accreditation

Flexibility is key to the student experience - Laura Ascione, eCampus News

Flexibility, choice, and equity are all critical components of the student experience on–and off–campus, according to the 2023 Students and Technology Report from EDUCAUSE. The report asks the following: “What does it mean to be a student now in 2023, on the fading tail of a global pandemic and in the midst of lingering uncertainty about the world, our leaders, our economy, and our own futures within all of it? What do students still need from a postsecondary education now and in that uncertain future, and how can they best go about meeting that need? And, finally, where does technology serve as a fulcrum, for better and for worse, both opening and closing students’ paths forward through their educational journeys?”

https://www.ecampusnews.com/student-wellbeing/2023/10/02/flexibility-student-experience/

Citing Significant Budget Deficits, Several Colleges Face Cuts - Doug Lederman, Inside Higher Ed

The affected institutions include Christian Brothers, Delta State, Lane Community College, Miami University, St. Norbert and Shepherd. Numerous colleges and universities, public and private, announced in recent days that they face significant budget deficits that will require cuts to programs and employees. Many of the institutions appear to have been motivated by fall enrollment numbers that did not meet their expectations, in most cases representing a failure to recover from record low enrollments during the pandemic. Others cited the lingering effects on enrollment and budgets from COVID-19, exacerbated by the end of federal relief funds.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/business/cost-cutting/2023/10/02/several-colleges-plan-cuts-address-significant-financial-woes

Some universities ditch AI detectors amid accuracy fears - Business Insider

Universities in the United States are going back to the drawing board to figure out how to stop their students using ChatGPT to write essays, after giving up on AI detectors over accuracy concerns, writes Tom Carter for Business Insider. Several major universities have stopped using AI detection tools provided by anti-plagiarism company Turnitin over fears that the technology could lead to students being falsely accused of cheating, according to a report from Bloomberg. The decisions come despite the soaring popularity of ChatGPT with students and the increasing concerns among educators that it is fuelling a cheating epidemic. 

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2023092614025680

First all-remote, full-time law degree with ABA blessing set to start next fall - Karen Sloan, Reuters

Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles is launching the nation’s first fully online, full-time J.D. program accredited by the American Bar Association. The ABA approved the program in August and Southwestern said this week that it will begin accepting applications in October for the program’s start in the fall of 2024. The classes will be entirely online and asynchronous, meaning students can complete them whenever is convenient for them, though professors will offer optional real-time sessions on Zoom, said Amy McLellan, Southwestern’s associate dean of online education.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/first-all-remote-full-time-law-degree-with-aba-blessing-set-start-next-fall-2023-09-29/

Plan would boost GI Bill payouts for students in online summer classes - Leo Shane III, Military Times

 Students using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to attend college classes online during the summer would be eligible for larger housing stipends under a bipartisan plan unveiled in the House this week. If approved, the measure would result in a significant financial boost to students working through summer months to accelerate their degree programs. The measure faces an uncertain path to becoming law, however, given a host of other legislative priorities Congress is presently facing.

https://www.militarytimes.com/education-transition/2023/09/29/plan-would-boost-gi-bill-payouts-for-students-in-online-summer-classes/

OpenAI Turns ChatGPT into a Voice Assistant That Can See and Understand Images and Speech - ERIC HAL SCHWARTZ, Voicebot

The most notable change to ChatGPT is its new ability to understand speech and respond in kind. A new text-to-speech model that mimics human voices after hearing just seconds of sample audio lets users hear ChatGPT’s ‘voice’ respond to their input. OpenAI’s speech recognition system Whisper transcribes users’ spoken words. The conversation, as seen above, essentially turns ChatGPT into a voice assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant, albeit one with the benefits and limits of the generative AI chatbot. ChatGPT can converse using any of five available voices, synthesized from professional voice actors into models like the one heard in the video.

https://voicebot.ai/2023/09/26/openai-turns-chatgpt-into-a-voice-assistant-that-can-see-and-understand-images-and-speech/

How to upskill developers in the wake of AI - Emma Chervek , SDX Central

 Active demand for generative artificial intelligence (genAI) skills increased 20-fold this year, and research suggests that upskilling and reskilling are part of the answer for many IT organizations. And despite the useful capabilities of AI in software development, it’s only exacerbating the need for skilled developers. Talent shortages represent the main roadblock to successful data and analytics initiatives, according to Gartner’s 2023 survey of chief data officers (CDOs). The obvious solution is to “get more people into software development,” OutSystems VP of developers Miguel Baltazar told SDxCentral. “The needs are just insane."

https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/analysis/how-to-upskill-developers-in-the-wake-of-ai/2023/09/

Cornell Reaches $3 Million Settlement Over Online Classes During Pandemic - Gabriel Muñoz, Cornell Sun

Students who were enrolled at Cornell during the Spring 2020 semester may be eligible to receive a sizable settlement from the University. On Sept. 21, the University reached a $3 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit that alleged Cornell breached its contract with students when the institution moved classes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit was filed in April 2020 by Alec Faber ’20 and argued that students did not agree to pay equivalent tuition and fees for online learning. The lawsuit blamed the University for refusing to reimburse or not adequately returning money to students for tuition, fees and other costs they paid for when typical operations were disrupted by Cornell’s in-person shutdown. Faber declined to comment.  

https://cornellsun.com/2023/09/28/cornell-reaches-3-million-settlement-over-online-classes-during-pandemic/

Internships are key to success for students who seek a career in museums - Stacey Edison, JagWire, Augusta University

“Before I got this internship, I really thought that working in museums was more of like an abstract thing. I thought, ‘Oh, that would be really cool. But there is no way. That’s never going to happen,’” Phillips said. “But by getting into the museum studies program here at Augusta University, I realized like, ‘No, you actually can go out and do this. It’s not just something that would be a nice thing. You can actually do it and make this a career.’”

https://jagwire.augusta.edu/internships-are-key-to-success-for-students-who-seek-a-career-in-museums/

IT leaders all in on AI for their daily work: report - Roberto Torres, CIODive

Top leaders in the IT organization outpace their lower ranking peers when it comes to adoption of AI, according to a report published Tuesday by software company Freshworks. The company polled 2,000 IT professionals globally. More than 9 in 10 IT directors and other upper management respondents said they currently use AI to support their work, compared to just two-thirds of team leaders or managers, and about one-third of individual contributors. Nearly half of IT pros agree using AI cuts repetitive tasks from their workloads. Respondents estimate the technology will save more than five hours of work per week.

https://www.ciodive.com/news/IT-leadership-AI-adoption/694834/

AI Meets Med School - Lauren Coffey, Inside Higher Ed

Adding to academia’s AI embrace, two institutions in the University of Texas system are jointly offering a medical degree paired with a master’s in artificial intelligence. Beyond the bustle of med school classes and socializing, Aaron Fanous spent his free time reading up on artificial intelligence and computer science. Balancing it all was an undertaking, but in addition to medicine, he’s always had an interest in technology. Fanous is one of the first students enrolled in a new dual-degree AI-focused medical program, which launched last week. The program, jointly offered by UT Health San Antonio and University of Texas at San Antonio, is among the first in the nation to combine artificial intelligence with medicine.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/artificial-intelligence/2023/09/25/ai-meets-med-school-new-dual-degree-program

The organization of the future: Enabled by gen AI, driven by people - Sandra Durth, Bryan Hancock, Dana Maor, and Alex Sukharevsky - McKinsey

The technology is accessible, ubiquitous, and promises to have a significant impact on organizations and the economy over the next decade. Anyone can use gen AI, with little or no formal training or technical know-how. It is being embedded in everyday tools, like email, word processing applications, and meeting software, which means the technology is already positioned to radically transform how people work. And McKinsey research shows that gen AI could enable automation of up to 70 percent of business activities, across almost all occupations, between now and 2030, adding trillions of dollars in value to the global economy.2 Meanwhile, technologists keep reminding us that gen AI is only in its nascent stages of development and usage. This smart technology is only going to get more intelligent—and those who don’t learn to work with it, starting now, will be left behind.3

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-organization-of-the-future-enabled-by-gen-ai-driven-by-people

MU, other universities explore how artificial intelligence can help learning - EGAN WARD, Columbia Missourian

MU has joined national trends of bringing the new wave of artificial intelligence into the classroom. With generative AI tools like ChatGPT launching publicly in the winter of 2022, MU faculty are engaging with AI through help from the Teaching for Learning Center. Professors at MU are using AI in research to accelerate work in a number of different fields. One of these professors is Chi-Ren Shyu, director of the MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics and professor of electrical engineering and computer science. In March 2022, Shyu led the AI approach of an MU study using data to explore Type 1 diabetes diagnoses. He now leads the effort to help faculty across departments use AI and similar tools in their own lessons and research.

https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/mu-other-universities-explore-how-artificial-intelligence-can-help-learning/article_ea84a2ee-51c7-11ee-8366-9f3da8d31c37.html

Is ChatGPT a Better Entrepreneur Than Most? - Christian Terwiesch & Karl Ulrich, Knowledge at Wharton

In January, Wharton professor Christian Terwiesch gave his MBA final exam to ChatGPT. It passed with flying colors. Now, he’s at it again with a new experiment to determine whether ChatGPT can come up with product ideas better and faster than his students. It can. And cheaper, too. “I was really blown away by the quality of the results,” Terwiesch, a professor in the operations, information and decisions department, said in an interview with Wharton Business Daily. (Listen to the podcast.) “I had naively believed that creative work would be the last area in which we humans would be superior at solving problems … so we set up this horse race of man versus machine.”

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/is-chatgpt-a-better-entrepreneur-than-most/

Why one community college outsourced its adjunct faculty - Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Higher Ed Dive

Higher education for decades has consistently drifted away from employing full-time faculty in favor of part-time, or adjunct, instructors. But one Michigan community college is shaking up the sector’s employment model in a different way. As of July, Northwestern Michigan College’s new adjuncts aren’t even institution staff — they work for Edustaff, a staffing firm. It’s one of several Michigan community colleges, like North Central Michigan College, to adopt this approach.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/why-one-community-college-outsourced-its-adjunct-faculty/694011/

UK’s competition watchdog drafts principles for ‘responsible’ generative AI - Natasha Lomas, Tech Crunch

The principles the competition watchdog has come up with for consideration, as it kicks off another round of stakeholder engagement on AI’s potential impacts on markets, are:

Accountability: “FM developers and deployers are accountable for outputs provided to consumers”

Access: “ongoing ready access to key inputs, without unnecessary restrictions”

Diversity: “sustained diversity of business models, including both open and closed”

Choice: “sufficient choice for businesses so they can decide how to use FMs”

Flexibility: “having the flexibility to switch and/or use multiple FMs according to need”

Fair dealing: “no anti-competitive conduct including anti-competitive self-preferencing, tying or bundling”

Transparency: “consumers and businesses are given information about the risks and limitations of FM-generated content so they can make informed choices”

https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/18/cma-foundation-ai-review/

Will ChatGPT transform research? It already has, say Nobelists - Jack Grove, Times Higher Education

Nobel-winning scientists are now using large language models, but experts say their impact on research is only just starting. “I think ChatGPT can make anyone 30 per cent smarter – that’s impressive,” reflected Michael Levitt, the South Africa-born biophysicist who took the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2013. “It’s a conversational partner that makes you think outside the box or a research team who have read a million books and many million journal papers.” A pioneer of the computer modelling of molecules, Professor Levitt is not easily dazzled by technological wizardry but admits he has been impressed by the large language models (LLMs) that have emerged over the past year. “I didn’t expect to this kind of stuff in my lifetime – they’re a very powerful tool. I still write code every day but ChatGPT also writes programmes very well,” he said.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/depth/will-chatgpt-transform-research-it-already-has-say-nobelists

How AI could advance computer-based tutors—and student success - David Wiley, eCampus News

The recent development of large language models like ChatGPT has opened new possibilities for the design and implementation of computer-based tutors. Education has long struggled to help all students achieve concept mastery. With advances in AI, computer-based tutors could be one of the solutions educators have long sought. 

https://www.ecampusnews.com/teaching-learning/2023/09/14/ai-computer-based-tutors/

ChatGPT and chatbots: The Learning Transformation Catalyst Educators Have Been Waiting For - Editah Patrick, Cryptopolitan

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, artificial intelligence is proving to be a transformative force. Higher education, in particular, is experiencing significant changes due to technologies like ChatGPT. While these advancements hold the potential for positive change, they also raise questions about the traditional modes of assessment and knowledge demonstration, such as essays and tests. As an educator myself, I have grappled with these issues and have come to realize that AI offers numerous benefits for both teachers and students. AI, including ChatGPT, is reshaping education, offering transformative potential for both teachers and students. The shift from memorization to critical thinking is essential for preparing students for the modern workforce. Embracing AI as a complementary tool, not a replacement, is crucial for educational success. 

https://www.cryptopolitan.com/chatgpt-and-chatbots-transformation-catalyst/

How Students Use Unofficial Online Backchannels for Classes - Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

Many professors worry that online systems like Discord and GroupMe are used for cheating, but they can also help build community. Students increasingly turn to private systems to create online groups around individual college classes. It’s a practice that has gone on for years, but teaching experts say it intensified during pandemic campus shut-downs, when students were looking for ways to connect. Platforms used for these groups include Discord, a discussion service popular with video gamers; GroupMe, a text-message platform; and Slack, the messaging system popular in many professional workplaces.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-09-07-how-students-use-unofficial-online-backchannels-for-classes

Survey: College Students Both Excited and Concerned about AI Tools - Kristal Kuykendall, Campus Technology

For the “Generative AI Through the Eyes of Gen Z” study, Touchstone Research surveyed 931 students from middle school to college age, the firm said in a news release. The sample included equal numbers of male and female students and “representative proportions” of various ethnic groups, Touchstone said. Fewer than two-thirds of respondents said they were “aware” of any generative AI tool. Among students who indicated they have used generative AI tools, 75% said they’d used them to create art, images, videos and music.

49% said they’d used the tools to “get information about something.”

43% said they’d used generative AI tools to “help with schoolwork.”

College students: 51%

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2023/09/13/survey-college-students-more-concerned-about-generative-ai.aspx

Meet generative AI's 'super users': 70% of Gen Z use GenAI - Sabrina Ortiz, ZD Net

On Thursday, Salesforce released its Generative AI Snapshot Research: The AI Divide, which surveyed more than 4,041 people 18 or older across the US, UK, Australia, and India regarding their AI usage.  The survey found that although half (49%) of overall respondents have used generative AI, the numbers differ greatly between different age groups. Specifically, generative AI users are concentrated among younger users, with 65% of generative AI users being Millennials or Gen Z, people born between 1981 and 2012, according to the Pew Research Center.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/meet-generative-ais-super-users-70-of-gen-z-use-genai/

Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That? - Paul Tough, NY Times

A decade or so ago, Americans were feeling pretty positive about higher education. Public-opinion polls in the early 2010s all told the same story. In one survey, 86 percent of college graduates said that college had been a good investment; in another, 74 percent of young adults said a college education was “very important”; in a third, 60 percent of Americans said that colleges and universities were having a positive impact on the country. Ninety-six percent of parents who identified as Democrats said they expected their kids to attend college — only to be outdone by Republican parents, 99 percent of whom said they expected their kids to go to college. A decade later, Americans’ feelings about higher education have turned sharply negative. The percentage of young adults who said that a college degree is very important fell to 41 percent from 74 percent. Only about a third of Americans now say they have a lot of confidence in higher education. Among young Americans in Generation Z, 45 percent say that a high school diploma is all you need today to “ensure financial security.” And in contrast to the college-focused parents of a decade ago, now almost half of American parents say they’d prefer that their children not enroll in a four-year college.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/magazine/college-worth-price.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share