11 Online Learning Trends to Know Now - Sarah Wood, US News

While hastily planned remote instruction differs from fully planned online college programs, education experts say recent cultural shifts and a desire for flexibility accelerated the growth of online learning. Colleges are now poised to offer more choices in distance learning, but it takes time, expertise and resources to develop quality online degree programs, says Lisa Templeton, vice provost for Oregon State University’s Ecampus and division of educational ventures. "Many of our faculty and students that would've never wanted to teach online or take an online course had to during the (coronavirus) pandemic," she says. "I think they learned that you can connect in meaningful and transformative ways."

https://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/discover-current-online-learning-trends

Aristotle, AI, and what philosophy offers futurism - Gregory Salmieri, Futurati

Distinguished scholar of philosophy and a leading authority on epistemology, Gregory Salmieri, gets into the philosophical nitty-gritty of AI, exploring pivotal concepts such as consciousness, intelligence, and agency. Through thought-provoking discussions, he sheds light on how these fundamental notions shape our understanding of advanced AI systems and the potential risks they pose to humanity. But that's not all. Dr. Salmieri also grapples with the pressing issue of property rights in the realm of emerging technologies. With a keen focus on ethics and governance, he addresses the critical questions surrounding when to halt research endeavors due to unforeseen dangers and how to establish safeguards to protect society from potential threats.

https://futuratipodcast.com/aristotle-ai-and-what-philosophy-offers-futurism/

What’s the world without innovation? - McKinsey

Innovation is the lifeblood of progress and the driving force behind the advancement of sustainable development goals. In a business context, it’s the ability to conceive, develop, deliver, and scale new products, services, processes, and business models. Innovation can create value, enhance productivity, and foster competitiveness. The potential of innovation fuels hope. But all too often, that hope is dashed by ineffective execution. What does it take to really spur innovation? “Efforts to focus an organization’s culture on innovation must be both systematic and intentional,” say McKinsey’s Matt Banholzer, Andy West, and coauthors. This World Creativity and Innovation Day, check out our insights to learn how top innovators outperform peers, drive innovation with generative AI, and create a culture that accounts for the human side of innovation.

https://www.mckinsey.com/Featured-Insights/Themes/Whats-the-world-without-innovation

AI has taken over education technology: what will come next? - Pavithra Mohan, Fast Company

In 2024, AI continues to be a key driver of innovation in the edtech space. Ello, for example, is betting that an AI-powered reading coach can help improve childhood literacy rates; the startup recently launched a more affordable, digital-only iteration of its product, along with a vast catalog of e-books. Looking at the year ahead, Patterson believes the overall decline in student engagement—an issue that was laid bare by the pandemic—will be one of the most crucial challenges for the industry going forward. “The student engagement problem is not a biological problem,” he says. “It’s a content and modality problem relative to where our current generation is at.”

https://www.fastcompany.com/91036603/education-spotlight-most-innovative-companies-2024

How to be a better leader in the age of AI - Fran Maxwell, Fast Company

A recent paper written by professors from Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University has determined that the vast majority of jobs will be impacted by artificial intelligence. Our research suggests that talent management strategies of the past will not adequately serve organizations in 2024, a year that will bring a new age of AI advancement. Leaders need to take action to position their organizations to face risks, both known and unknown. Here are three strategies that can help you become a better leader in the age of AI.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91107229/how-to-be-a-better-leader-in-the-age-of-ai-2

Higher Education and the Four Industrial Revolutions - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

This is not the first time Western civilization and American higher education have encountered a massive change impacting the mission, technologies and vision of higher learning. When we look in this historical context, the challenges that loom ahead for higher education do not seem much more daunting than those that were confronted in prior industrial revolutions. Jobs and careers will be lost; other careers and jobs will be created. Learning will remain a constant requirement for success. Once again, we will need to reinvent our structures, methods and modes of delivery to best meet the higher learning demands of our changing society. The time to begin is now!

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blogs/online-trending-now/2024/04/25/higher-education-and-four-industrial-revolutions

The Dawn of Enhanced Reasoning in AI: GPT-5 and Llama 3 Set to Revolutionize Complex Task Performance - Roman Rember, ElBlog

In the relentless pursuit of creating artificial intelligence that mirrors human cognitive abilities, tech giants OpenAI and Meta have made remarkable strides with the announcement of their latest AI models, GPT-5 and Llama 3. These AI models, which are still under development, promise to leap forward in “reasoning” capabilities. Joelle Pineau, who leads AI research at Meta, has emphasized the significance of this advancement. She has expressed that their teams are putting in immense effort to enable these models to not only converse but to exhibit higher faculties such as reasoning, planning, and even memory retention.

https://elblog.pl/2024/04/16/the-dawn-of-enhanced-reasoning-in-ai-gpt-5-and-llama-3-set-to-revolutionize-complex-task-performance/

Exploring the fast-growing role of AI in academic research - University World News

Research that uses generative AI is expanding rapidly across fields, and is said to be accelerating and transforming scientific knowledge. Today we launch a weekly series of articles on AI and Research exploring the multiplying ways in which AI is involved in higher education research. The series will culminate in a special briefing in June.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/special-report.php

Generative AI Update for 2024 - Ray Schroeder and Katherine Kerpan, the European Business Review

 Any update on this technology has to carry the caveat that it is changing day by day and that research and development is, in most cases, months ahead of what is available to the general public. We are now in a period of highly competitive one-upmanship in the features, speed, security, and reliability of GenAI products. As the top dozen or so competitors seek to build consumer and corporate markets, we will see usage expand. Currently, business and industry has effectively applied the technology to marketing, accounting, industry research, product development, trend analysis, report writing, and predictive applications. Clearly, GenAI has the potential to be a game-changer in the coming year. In this article, we will examine a number of the key changes, challenges, and opportunities that can be expected by the end of the year.

https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/generative-ai-update-for-2024/

Fueling Growth Through Senior Leadership Championing Continuing Education - Tatum Thomas, Evolllution

The support for continuing education (CE) and buy-in from senior leadership has evolved in recent years, with increasing recognition of the need to adapt and innovate in higher ed. This support is crucial to allocating resources effectively and fostering innovation, playing an essential role in institutional strategies. In this interview, Tatum Thomas discusses how support for CE has evolved, what’s still required to have adequate support and the impact this support can have on the institution.

https://evolllution.com/fueling-growth-through-senior-leadership-championing-continuing-education

The Role of Education Research in a Campus-wide Commitment to Advancing Ethical Artificial Intelligence - A Q&A with Jing Liu, University of Maryland College of Education

My work focuses on how to leverage AI to support educators with their teaching and professional development and simultaneously honor their central position in education. Doing this work requires strong domain knowledge in education theory and practice and cutting-edge AI techniques, as well as a participatory process that involves working with educators, students and school leaders directly. Over my years of working in this space, I see that to use AI to transform education for good and truly benefit educators and students, all of these elements are critical. I believe AIM will be able to support all these aspects and help UMD strengthen its leading position in AI and education research. I also really appreciate that AIM puts ethical and trustworthy use of AI front and center, which is extremely important for research and applications at the intersection of AI and education.

https://education.umd.edu/news/04-09-24-role-education-research-campus-wide-commitment-advancing-ethical-artificial

Opinion: Higher Ed’s Reasons to Both Embrace and Fear AI - Jim A. Jorstad, Gov Tech

Much of the writing about artificial intelligence in higher education has been about the tool’s potential to enhance student learning, teaching strategies and the entire education process. Many say it might help identify and track students who would benefit from additional support and resources. However, there are significant warnings about the potential dangers of AI. Even comedian Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” recently opined about these, warning, “So I want your assurance that AI isn’t removing the human from the loop.” He questioned the possibility that humans will lose their jobs to AI technology.

https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/opinion-higher-eds-reasons-to-both-embrace-and-fear-ai

85% of new people managers receive no formal training. This is why you can’t fake it - TOMAS CHAMORRO-PREMUZIC, Fast Company

If you are in a position of leadership, your job is unquestionably hard. You must deliver results; identify, develop, and retain talent; keep people motivated, even coach them; and manage your personal goals all while maintaining a positive reputation and coming across as authentic.  Your life plays out on the jumbotron 24/7, and your organization’s priorities feel like they change hourly, so by definition, projects are always behind.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91088693/85-of-new-people-managers-receive-no-formal-training-this-is-why-you-cant-fake-it

OpenAI and Meta set to unveil AI models capable of reasoning and planning - Dev Kondaliya, Computing

Tech firms are building the foundations of what could - eventually - develop into artificial general intelligence. OpenAI and Meta are gearing up to launch new AI models, promising huge advances in reasoning and planning capabilities. "We are hard at work in figuring out how to get these models not just to talk, but actually to reason, to plan . . . to have memory," said Joelle Pineau, vice-president of AI research at Meta. Similarly, Brad Lightcap, chief operating officer at OpenAI, highlighted progress made towards solving "hard problems" such as reasoning, indicating a shift in the AI landscape. "We're going to start to see AI that can take on more complex tasks in a more sophisticated way," Lightcap told the Financial Times in an interview.

https://www.computing.co.uk/news/4196128/openai-meta-set-unveil-ai-models-capable-reasoning-planning

AI taking on more work doesn't mean it replaces you. Here are 12 reasons to worry less - David Gewirtz, ZD Net

Today, AI has the potential to destroy some jobs (possibly including my own), but it also has the potential to empower -- and provide deep value to -- workers and employers. We call that disruption, and it's nothing new because disruption is always new. As with nearly all the technology previously created, AI has a dual nature. It presents both challenges and opportunities. It's up to all of us where it goes. Will we be able to integrate AI into our lives as a force multiplier, or will we find ourselves fighting Skynet? Only time will tell.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/ai-taking-on-more-work-doesnt-mean-it-replaces-you-here-are-12-reasons-to-worry-less/

Bridging the AI Divide: A Call to Action - Adela de la Torre and James Frazee, Inside Higher Ed

Leaders must take steps to prevent low-income and first-gen students from falling further behind, Adela de la Torre and James Frazee write. AI literacy has already become a gating qualification for participants across America’s workforce. In one recent survey by Amazon Web Services, a staggering 73 percent of employers report prioritizing hiring talent with AI skills. Those employers are willing to pay candidates with AI expertise significantly higher salaries—in some cases almost 50 percent more. Equipping students for career success and social mobility therefore requires an immediate, holistic and collective approach to building AI literacy. To do so, we must first begin with access while carefully examining both policy and pedagogy.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/04/04/call-action-address-inequity-ai-access-opinion

There are No Shortcuts to Thinking: Promise in the way students are already using AI as a learning tool - Dan Sarofian-Butin, Education Next

I really thought everyone would cheat. That’s why I was shocked by their responses. “I use it the same way we use it for this class,” one student wrote. isten, therefore, to what another one of my students wrote: “I use ChatGPT as my TA and for it to give me extra help with brainstorming different ideas, like I would with any other person.” Dear reader, let that sink in: “like I would with any other person.” Let me be clear: I am not trying to anthropomorphize ChatGPT or pretend that it can solve all of the woes of higher education. Rather, I think we are at a crossroads with AI.

https://www.educationnext.org/there-are-no-shortcuts-to-thinking-teacher-sees-promise-students-using-ai-learning-tool-artificial-intelligence/

Exploring generative AI at Harvard - Jessica McCann, Harvard Gazette

The explosion of generative AI technology over the past year and a half is raising big questions about how these tools will impact higher education. Across Harvard, members of the community have been exploring how GenAI will change the ways we teach, learn, research, and work. As part of this effort, the Office of the Provost has convened three working groups. They will discuss questions, share innovations, and evolve guidance and community resources. 

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/04/exploring-potential-benefits-pitfalls-of-generative-ai/

Let’s break down the barriers blocking neurodivergent people from higher education - Sourav Mukhopadhyay, Times Higher Ed

Neurodivergent students face barriers when accessing higher education, including negative attitudes of faculty members, lack of assistive technology, traditional teaching methods and inflexible curricula. All these factors can compromise academic and social development, as well as participation. Neurodiversity, an umbrella term for neurological differences as a result of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia and many other conditions, describes a natural variation of the human brain rather than a deficiency. 

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/lets-break-down-barriers-blocking-neurodivergent-people-higher-education

Degrees Earned Fall Again, Certificates Rise - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed

Fewer people are earning degrees for the second year in a row, but certificates are having a moment, according to a new report.  The latest “Undergraduate Degree Earners” report, released Thursday, showed that almost 100,000 fewer people earned bachelor’s and associate degrees or certificates during the 2022–23 academic year, a 2.8 percent decrease. The number of certificate earners, meanwhile, is higher than it’s been in a decade, the report found. Students who earned these kinds of credentials increased by about 4 percent.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/academics/2024/04/11/degrees-earned-fall-again-certificates-rise

Will AI Be the Death of Higher Education? - GEORGE LEEF, National Review

There has been much handwringing over the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). Many college professors abhor it, thinking it has only a huge downside in that it enables students to cheat more easily. That’s one view, but in today’s Martin Center article, Jacob Bruggeman sees good coming from AI. Rather than destroying the humanities, AI applications can enable new discoveries.

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/will-ai-be-the-death-of-higher-education/

Inching Toward the $100,000 Sticker Price - Josh Moody, Inside Higher Ed

Some selective institutions are expected to hit six figures soon, though such pricing will likely have more of a psychological and political impact than a financial one. For years, headlines have warned that the cost of attending college would eventually exceed $100,000-a-year at some institutions. Law schools at Columbia and Stanford Universities and the University of Chicago crossed that threshold in 2019; some higher ed experts predicted that the most expensive private four-year institutions would join them by 2030. Now that barrier could be broken as early as next year, some believe.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/business/revenue-strategies/2024/04/03/inching-toward-100000-sticker-price

Nobody knows how AI works - Melissa Heikkilä, Technology Review

The biggest mystery is how large language models such as Gemini and OpenAI’s GPT-4 can learn to do something they were not taught to do. You can train a language model on math problems in English and then show it French literature, and from that, it can learn to solve math problems in French. These abilities fly in the face of classical statistics, which provide our best set of explanations for how predictive models should behave, Will writes.The focus of the field today is how the models produce the things they do, but more research is needed into why they do so. Until we gain a better understanding of AI’s insides, expect more weird mistakes and a whole lot of hype that the technology will inevitably fail to live up to. 

https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/03/05/1089449/nobody-knows-how-ai-works/

How to Protect Intellectual Property in the Age of AI - A. Snyder, Mark Pecen, Knowledge at Wharton

Patents are used very differently by large multinational companies compared to small- and medium-sized firms. Both small and large firms use patents to protect their intellectual property, but their strategy must be consistent with the current stage of corporate maturity. A strategy that might be appropriate for a large auto manufacturer, for example, would typically not be anywhere near appropriate for a startup company or other small to medium enterprise. As companies grow and mature, patenting strategies tend to change over time as well, and it pays to re-examine a company’s patenting strategy periodically.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/how-to-protect-intellectual-property-in-the-age-of-ai/

The jobs most likely to be affected by AI, according to five experts - Rob Waugh, Yahoo! News

Could eight million jobs really be lost in the UK in the very near future due to artificial intelligence? A worrying report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) suggested that there are two ‘waves’ of generative AI adoption, and in the second wave, 59% of tasks done by workers could be automated. Yahoo News spoke to some of Britain’s leading AI and workplace experts to get an insight into what roles could be automated in the near and mid-term future.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/jobs-most-likely-taken-by-ai-190524787.html

Success Program Launch: Incentivizing Academic Success with Scholarships - Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed

Online-only students, compared to their face-to-face peers, are less likely to complete a degree. Many colleges and universities are leaning into online students’ feelings of belonging to promote retention and completion, but leaders at one online campus are focusing on financial incentives. Penn State World Campus, the online arm of Pennsylvania State university, launched the Progressive Scholarship program in 2023. The invite-only program rewards 90 students who engage in best practices with financial aid, up to $7,750 over four years.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/academic-life/2024/03/21/encouraging-online-learners-make-academic-progress

AI and the Workforce: How Gen AI Can Help Employees Flourish - Angie Basiouny, Knowledge at Wharton

When deployed correctly, generative artificial intelligence can help employees become more innovative, free them from mundane tasks, and improve their communication skills. That’s the message from three scholars who shared their research during the “AI Horizons” webinar, “AI and the Workforce” which streamed live on February 16. The webinar series is hosted by AI at Wharton to showcase emerging knowledge in the field of artificial intelligence. Each panelist presented research on a distinct aspect of labor, yet the overarching theme was clear: Rather than fearing AI as a threat to human capital, it can help employees bring their best selves to work.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/ai-and-the-workforce-how-gen-ai-can-help-employees-flourish/

When ChatGPT Comes for Scholarship - John Warner, Inside Higher Ed

The inevitable has now happened and what is clearly unedited generative AI content is finding its way into (apparently) peer-reviewed publications. It’s possible that this practice is already disturbingly widespread. This was inevitable because in a system that privileges efficiency and productivity—as seems to be the case with much of academic scholarship—using a tool that can generate a simulation of the kind of content that passes muster in these spaces will be sorely tempting. These simulations are entering a world where those tasked as gatekeepers are overwhelmed, and the temptation to simply check the box and move the article down the line of production is powerful, particularly when that production (for both scholars and editors) is the job. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blogs/just-visiting/2024/03/20/chatgpt-offers-choosing-moment-higher-ed

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Hints at Coming Release of a Surprise Feature - Julian Horsey, Geeky-Gadgets.com

Although details remain scarce, there is speculation that this surprise feature may be related to AI agency and autonomy. AI agency and autonomy refer to the ability of AI systems to make decisions, take actions, and interact with their environment in a more independent and self-directed manner. This could involve the development of AI agents that can autonomously learn, adapt, and pursue goals without constant human intervention or oversight. If GPT-5 were to incorporate elements of AI agency and autonomy, it could potentially revolutionize the way we interact with and deploy AI systems. Instead of being passive tools that simply respond to user input, GPT-5 could become a more proactive and collaborative partner, capable of taking initiative, offering unprompted suggestions, and even carrying out tasks on behalf of the user.

https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/chatgpt-5-features-2024/#10_potential_surprise_feature

UC Irvine opening generative AI tool to students this year - Sklylar Rispens, EdScoop

The University of California, Irvine announced on Monday that it is preparing to expand the use of its new, customized generative artificial intelligence tool to students this year. The tool, called ZotGPT Chat, launched to all faculty and staff in January. The deployment of the tool is in coordination with a campus-wide education campaign to boost AI literacy among faculty and staff. “ZotGPT is about more than supporting innovation with the latest tools,” Tom Andriola, vice chancellor for data and information technology, said in a press release. “It’s also about ensuring that we provide broad access to these new tools across our community in a secure and responsible way, with the proper support structures. ZotGPT can be leveraged for teaching, research and redesigning work processes and can serve as an engine for facilitating collaboration. We look forward to fully embracing the potential of generative AI in 2024 and beyond.”

https://edscoop.com/university-california-irvine-generative-artificial-intelligence-tool/

You can access Google Gemini by going to ‘ai.com’ - Ben Schoon, 9-to-5 Google

Typically, to access Google Gemini, you’d go to gemini.google.com. It’s easy enough, especially after you set up a bookmark, but a redirect website that Google set up is much faster. “ai.com” now directs to Gemini. Google seemingly owns the quick and memorable domain name, and this redirect makes it super easy to launch the AI chatbot on the fly. This, of course, works across all platforms including desktop and mobile. |

https://9to5google.com/2024/03/15/google-gemini-ai-website/

Apple is reportedly exploring a partnership with Google for Gemini-powered feature on iPhones - Ivan Mehta, TechCrunch

Apple is looking to team up with Google for a mega-deal to leverage the Gemini AI model for features on iPhone, Bloomberg reported. This will put Google in a commanding position as the company already has a deal with Apple as the preferred search engine provider on iPhones for the Safari browser. The publication cited people familiar with the matter saying that Apple is looking to license Google’s AI tech to introduce AI-powered features with iOS updates later this year. Additionally, the company also held discussions with OpenAI to potentially use GPT models, Bloomberg said.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/17/apple-is-reportedly-exploring-a-partnership-with-google-for-gemini-powered-feature-on-iphones/