OpenAI Announces Massive US Government Partnership - Joe Schiffer and Will Knight, Wired

OpenAI is partnering with the US government to make its leading frontier models available to federal employees. Under the agreement, federal agencies can access OpenAI’s models for $1 for the next year, per a Wednesday announcement from the company and the General Services Administration (GSA). The partnership is the culmination of months of effort on the part of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and other OpenAI executives, who have been cozying up to the Trump administration since before President Donald Trump retook the White House in January. In a statement emailed to WIRED, Altman said: “One of the best ways to make sure AI works for everyone is to put it in the hands of the people serving the country. 

https://www.wired.com/story/openai-is-giving-chatgpt-federal-workers/

Researchers create ‘virtual scientists’ to solve complex biological problems - Hanae Armitage, Stanford

Stanford Medicine researchers created a team of virtual scientists backed by artificial intelligence to help solve problems in their real-world lab. There may be a new artificial intelligence-driven tool to turbocharge scientific discovery: virtual labs. Modeled after a well-established Stanford School of Medicine research group, the virtual lab is complete with an AI principal investigator and seasoned scientists. “Good science happens when we have deep, interdisciplinary collaborations where people from different backgrounds work together, and often that’s one of the main bottlenecks and challenging parts of research,” said James Zou, PhD, associate professor of biomedical data science who led a study detailing the development of the virtual lab. “In parallel, we’ve seen this tremendous a  Researchers create ‘virtual scientists’ to solve complex biological problems - Hanae Armitage, Stanford dvance in AI agents, which, in a nutshell, are AI systems based on language models that are able to take more proactive actions.”

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/07/virtual-scientist.html

ChatGPT’s Study Mode Is Here. It Won’t Fix Education’s AI Problems - Reece Rogers, Wired

OpenAI’s new study mode for ChatGPT throws questions back at students, but the learning feature doesn’t address generative AI’s underlying disruption of education. The mode is designed around the Socratic method, so when activated, OpenAI’s generative AI chatbot rejects direct requests for answers, instead guiding the user with open-ended questions. The new study mode is available to most logged-in users of ChatGPT, including those on the free version.

https://www.wired.com/story/chatgpt-study-mode/

CSU Faculty Projects Test AI for Creative Majors, Design - Abby Sourwine, GovTech

 Sixty-three projects funded by the California State University system are experimenting with generative AI, from single-course pilots to full program overhauls, and producing open resources for others to consult. In classrooms across the California State University (CSU) system, faculty are looking to turn generative artificial intelligence from a disrupter into a teaching tool. From musical theater production to departmentwide curriculum redesigns, instructors are testing how generative AI can support creativity and critical thinking. The experiments are part of 63 faculty-led projects launched in the CSU system this summer as part of a push to bring AI into curricula. Funded through CSU’s inaugural AI Educational Innovations Challenge, the projects range from arts and humanities pilots to general education reforms and full program overhauls.

https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/csu-faculty-projects-test-ai-for-creative-majors-curriculum-design

150K fewer international students this fall? That’s what one analysis predicts. - Ben Unglesbee, Higher Ed Dive

A sharp drop in foreign enrollment could cost colleges $7 billion in revenue and 60,000 jobs, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators. International enrollment at U.S. colleges could drop by as much as 150,000 students this fall unless the federal government ramps up its issuing of visas this summer, according to recent projections from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The financial consequences could be severe. A 30% to 40% decline in new foreign students would lead to a 15% overall drop in international enrollment and, with it, a potential loss of $7 billion in revenue for colleges and 60,000 higher education jobs, NAFSA estimated. The organization attributed the projected decline to various Trump administration actions, including travel bans and an earlier suspension of visa interviews. NAFSA called on Congress to direct the State Department to expedite processing for student visas.  

https://www.highereddive.com/news/international-student-decline-fall-2025-projection/756500/

1 in 2 graduates say their college major didn’t prepare them for today’s market - Carolyn Crist, Higher Ed Dive

Respondents report feeling unprepared in numerous ways, especially in finding a job after graduation and navigating student debt and personal finances. Beyond that, 1 in 6 Americans who went to college said they regret it. When thinking about their college experience, college graduates said their top regrets included taking out student loans, not networking more and not doing internships. “One of the main concepts of seeking higher education after high school is that college will prepare you for the rest of your life. While some graduates leave their alma mater feeling prepared to enter the workforce and begin their career, others feel underprepared,” according to the report.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/americans-believe-their-college-major-didnt-prepare-them-for-market/754144/

Google Just Defeated Human Genius: Why Even Google’s CEO Is Terrified - Julia McCoy, YouTube

This podcast discusses Google's recent AI breakthrough with their Gemini model, enhanced with "deep think," which achieved a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). This demonstrates the AI's unprecedented reasoning capabilities, solving complex mathematical problems that have long stumped human experts. Google attributes this to "parallel thinking," where the AI explores multiple solution paths simultaneously, and its training on multi-step reasoning and problem-solving. This achievement signifies a shift in AI development from pre-training with facts to teaching AI how to think and improve itself. The breakthrough has significant implications for Google's technologies, including search algorithms and advertising optimization. There was also a controversy with OpenAI, who announced similar results prematurely. Google is rolling out these advanced reasoning capabilities to Google AI Ultra subscribers first, giving them a considerable advantage. The podcast emphasizes that this development is happening faster than anticipated, and viewers are encouraged to learn about AI to benefit from this revolution. (summary provided in part by Gemini 2.5 Flash)

https://youtu.be/FXSNC92o70k?si=Ql9WrnGwoHjbQZ6b

AI in the University: From Generative Assistant to Autonomous Agent This Fall - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Education

We have become accustomed to generative artificial intelligence in the past couple of years. That will not go away, but increasingly, it will serve in support of agents. “Where generative AI creates, agentic AI acts.” That’s how my trusted assistant, Gemini 2.5 Pro deep research, describes the difference. By the way, I commonly use Gemini 2.5 Pro as one of my research tools, as I have in this column, however, it is I who writes the column. Agents, unlike generative tools, create and perform multistep goals with minimal human supervision. The essential difference is found in its proactive nature. Rather than waiting for a specific, step-by-step command, agentic systems take a high-level objective and independently create and execute a plan to achieve that goal. This triggers a continuous, iterative workflow that is much like a cognitive loop.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/online-trending-now/2025/08/05/ai-university-assistant-autonomous-agent

Six Tactics to Get Better Results From AI - Ethan Mollick, et al; Knowledge at Wharton

Achieving valuable results from AI is as much about the quality of your prompts as the capabilities of the tool. You can be a more effective “human in the loop” by refining your ability to formulate clear, specific, and context-rich queries, and obtain more useful solutions and actionable insights as a result. Here are six key tactics — grounded in Wharton research — to help you create more effective AI prompts for business applications.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/six-tactics-to-get-better-results-from-ai/

Americans Recognize Nuances of Higher Ed’s Value - Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed

New data shows that confidence in higher education is on the rise and most Americans, regardless of party affiliation, share a similar vision for what colleges should prioritize. A group of university students are seen from behind walking outside on campus as they make their way to class. Most Democrats and Republicans believe higher ed should equip students to become informed citizens and critical thinkers. “Increasingly, higher ed is being cast as elite, expensive and not connected with everyday Americans,” said Sophie Nguyen, senior policy manager with the higher education team at New America, the left-leaning think tank that published its annual Varying Degrees survey on Wednesday. “There’s a significant disconnect in the narrative about what higher ed is” and how it’s perceived.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/academics/2025/07/17/americans-recognize-nuances-higher-eds-value

How higher education is coping with surging budget deficits - Alcino Donadel, University Business

Budget cuts—followed by tuition increases and staff layoffs—at Duke, Cornell, Johns Hopkins and Harvard universities midway through the spring semester sent shockwaves through the higher education community as the sector copes with challenging deficits. Their struggles proved to be the canary in the coal mine for further announcements from more than a dozen colleges and universities through the summer. “This is a day of loss for all of us,” wrote four executive leaders from Boston University as they announced 120 staff layoffs last week. “Over the coming months, there will be many efforts to reshape and reimagine the university in its most efficient and vital form.”

https://universitybusiness.com/how-higher-education-is-coping-with-surging-budget-deficits/

Mapping the AI economy: Which regions are ready for the next technology leap - Mark Muro and Shriya Methkupally, Brookings

Artificial intelligence is transforming the U.S. economy, yet regional disparities in talent development, research capacity, and enterprise adoption are stark, and not yet fully understood.  AI activity remains highly concentrated, with the Bay Area alone accounting for 13% of all AI-related job postings.  However, the recent boom in generative AI and agentic systems is beginning to widen the geography of AI activity to a broader set of emerging metro areas. To fully harness the power of AI, the U.S. should combine supportive national strategy with “bottom–up” economic development by regions.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mapping-the-ai-economy-which-regions-are-ready-for-the-next-technology-leap/

AI is helping students be more independent, but the isolation could be career poison - Tara García Mathewson, CalMatters

Students don’t have the same incentives to talk to their professors — or even their classmates — anymore. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude have given them a new path to self-sufficiency. Instead of asking a professor for help on a paper topic, students can go to a chatbot. Instead of forming a study group, students can ask AI for help. These chatbots give them quick responses, on their own timeline. For students juggling school, work and family responsibilities, that ease can seem like a lifesaver. And maybe turning to a chatbot for homework help here and there isn’t such a big deal in isolation. But every time a student decides to ask a question of a chatbot instead of a professor or peer or tutor, that’s one fewer opportunity to build or strengthen a relationship, and the human connections students make on campus are among the most important benefits of college. 

https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/07/chatbots/

AI is rewiring how we learn, and it’s a game-changer for L&D - Josh Bersin, Chief Learning Officer

As AI becomes central to learner engagement, L&D leaders are being urged to fundamentally rethink corporate training, says global industry analyst Josh Bersin. Put simply: there’s no turning back. L&D remains a major global industry—set to surpass $400 billion this year—and for good reason. Training will always play a vital role in helping employees gain essential knowledge, develop new skills and stay resilient in the face of constant change. But here’s the critical point: Clinging to the traditional, classroom-style model, where an expert leads learners through a fixed, linear curriculum, no longer meets the needs of today’s workforce. That approach, rooted in education systems of the past, must now give way to something more dynamic, responsive and learner-driven.

https://www.chieflearningofficer.com/2025/07/14/ai-is-rewiring-how-we-learn-and-its-a-game-changer-for-ld/

Think Your Student Can Pass an AI Literacy Test? A Concerning New Study Says Otherwise - Tim McMillan, the Debrief

In an era where artificial intelligence tools are becoming as common in classrooms as textbooks, a new study suggests most students don’t actually know how to use them well. Despite the widespread adoption of generative AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, researchers have found that university students overestimate their ability to engage with these technologies—and that illusion of competence could have real-world consequences. Set to be published in the December 2025 issue of Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, a paper by Monash University researchers introduces the Generative AI Literacy Assessment Test (GLAT). This pioneering exam is the first of its kind, designed to not only evaluate students’ ability to use generative AI tools but also their capacity to comprehend and ethically apply them.

https://thedebrief.org/think-your-student-can-pass-an-ai-literacy-test-a-concerning-new-study-says-otherwise/

Teaching Creativity and Durable Skills in an AI World - Abbie Misha, EdSurge

When a high school student uses AI to design a community mural or a college freshman collaborates with peers across continents on a digital storytelling project, it’s clear the boundaries of learning are shifting. Classrooms are no longer just spaces for absorbing information; they’re becoming creative studios where students use technology to solve real-world problems. 

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2025-07-14-teaching-creativity-and-durable-skills-in-an-ai-world

It’s true that my fellow students are embracing AI – but this is what the critics aren’t seeing - Elsie McDowell, the Guardian

Reading about the role of artificial intelligence in higher education, the landscape looks bleak. Students are cheating en masse in our assessments or open-book, online exams using AI tools, all the while making ourselves stupider. The next generation of graduates, apparently, are going to complete their degrees without ever having so much as approached a critical thought. Given that my course is examined entirely through closed-book exams, and I worry about the vast amounts of water and energy needed to power AI datacentres, I generally avoid using ChatGPT. But in my experience, students see it as a broadly acceptable tool in the learning process. Although debates about AI tend to focus on “cheating”, it is increasingly being used to assist with research, or to help structure essays.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/29/students-ai-critics-chatgpt-covid-education-system

Exploring the ethical use of LLM chatbots in higher education - Gustave Florentin et al; Science Direcct Journal of Business Research

This research examines the factors influencing the ethical use of LLM chatbots in higher education. Environmental, personal, and perceived risk factors contribute to the ethical use of AI chatbots. Personal factors mediate the relationship between environmental influences and ethical use. fsQCA highlights the ineffectiveness of deterrent strategies in addressing AI plagiarism in the era of LLM chatbots. fsQCA further shows that ethical climate alone is insufficient and must be complemented by supervision and personal factors.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296325003984

OpenAI’s Education Head Says Real Learning Takes Struggle—Not Just ChatGPT Help - Rachel Curry, Observer

Students must struggle to learn, and offloading to ChatGPT risks weakening critical thinking skills, OpenAI's head of education warns. With ChatGPT now widely available to students around the globe, concerns about cheating and the erosion of critical thinking skills are growing. OpenAI is well aware of these issues and is working to address them. Speaking today (July 9) at the AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Kevin Mills, OpenAI’s head of education and government, outlined the company’s efforts to explore how A.I. tools can be used to support, rather than replace, meaningful learning.

https://observer.com/2025/07/openai-education-head-ai-for-good/

AI aiding cheating in higher education - Wycliffe Osabwa, People Daily

The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education is the subject of ongoing debate—particularly regarding how students use it to complete assignments. While AI offers immense opportunities for enhancing learning, concerns arise when students use tools like ChatGPT to generate term papers or assessments, then claim ownership. As an instructor, I have encountered cases where students submit assignments that are technically correct but suspiciously flawless, especially when contrasted with their previous work. Even after designing highly contextual questions, some students still relied on Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs), producing generic responses that lacked relevance or depth.

https://peopledaily.digital/insights/ai-aiding-cheating-in-higher-education

The need to reinvent universities for the learning society - Patrick Blessinger, University World News

The traditional boundaries between and among post-secondary institutions are transforming. The university is no longer the exclusive owner of knowledge. The disciplinary silos continue to erode as interdisciplinary learning continues to grow. Learning is no longer a one-time activity; now it’s a continuous practice. The need for accessible, applicable, skills-based learning paths is reshaping the relationship between post-secondary institutions, civil society and learners. Every university has to shift away from its traditional role as knowledge gatekeepers to become learning facilitators so that learners are able to gain knowledge and skills in a world increasingly characterised by risk, uncertainty and complexity.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250711132629137

GPT-5: The New Era is Here - Serban Sita, There's an App for That

This podcast discusses the anticipated release of GPT-5, predicted for mid-2025 (specifically July 2025). This update is expected to be revolutionary, bringing significant advancements over GPT-4. Key improvements include enhanced step-by-step reasoning, exceptional coding proficiency, and a substantial reduction in hallucinations (from 30% to under 15%). GPT-5 is also expected to feature "True Omni AI" with real-time two-way audio communication, ultra-high-definition image and video processing, and a natural-sounding native voice. While GPT-4 uses 1.4 trillion parameters, GPT-5 is rumored to have over one quadrillion, though OpenAI is shifting focus from sheer parameter scale to smarter models with better reasoning. By mid-2025, fully independent AI agents capable of seamless workflow automation and real-world API connections are expected. Leaked benchmarks project GPT-5 to surpass human experts in MMLU, SWE Bench, and multimodal tasks, and compete with human PhDs in advanced mathematics. The podcast concludes by emphasizing that GPT-5 will redefine AI, with AI agents working autonomously and multimodal AI acting like a "digital god."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48_fcg0tnrk

OpenAI joins the American Federation of Teachers to launch the National Academy for AI Instruction. - OpenAI

For educators, AI can be a powerful ally, helping free up more time for the truly human work of teaching. Recent Gallup study⁠(opens in a new window) showed that 6 in 10 educators are already using an AI tool and report saving an average of six hours per week. But it also raises new challenges: how to ensure AI enhances rather than bypasses teaching, and how to help students foster critical thinking when answers are instantly accessible. Now is the time to ensure Al empowers educators, students, and schools. For this to happen, teachers must lead the conversation around how to best harness its potential. It is for this purpose that we join the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) as the founding partner for the launch of the National Academy for AI Instruction, a five-year initiative to equip 400,000 K-12 educators, about one in every 10 teachers in the US, to use AI and lead the way in shaping how AI is used and taught in classrooms across the country.

https://openai.com/global-affairs/aft/

ChatGPT is testing a mysterious new feature called ‘study together’ - Julie Bort, Tech Crunch

Some ChatGPT subscribers are reporting a new feature appearing in their drop-down list of available tools called “Study Together.” The mode is apparently the chatbot’s way of becoming a better educational tool. Rather than providing answers to prompts, some say it asks more questions and requires the human to answer, like OpenAI’s answer to Google’s LearnLM. Some also wonder whether it will have a mode where more than one human can join the chat in a study group mode. OpenAI did not respond to our request for comment, but for what it’s worth, ChatGPT told us, “OpenAI hasn’t officially announced when or if Study Together will be available to all users — or if it will require ChatGPT Plus.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chatgpt-testing-mysterious-feature-called-195330320.html

Half of Managers Use AI To Determine Who Gets Promoted and Fired - Resume Builder

According to a new Resume Builder survey of 1,342 U.S. managers with direct reports, a majority of those using AI at work are relying on it to make high-stakes personnel decisions, including who gets promoted, who gets a raise, and who gets fired.

Key findings include:

6 in 10 managers rely on AI to make decisions about their direct reports

A majority of these managers use AI to determine raises (78%), promotions (77%), layoffs (66%), and even terminations (64%)

More than 1 in 5 frequently let AI make final decisions without human input

Two-thirds of managers using AI to manage employees haven’t received any formal AI training

Nearly half of managers were tasked with assessing if AI can replace their reports

https://www.resumebuilder.com/half-of-managers-use-ai-to-determine-who-gets-promoted-and-fired/

AI and human evolution: Yuval Noah Harari - Wall Street Journal CEO Council

This video features Yuval Noah Harari, a military historian, who discusses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on human evolution. Harari views AI as an "alien intelligence" and a new species that could potentially replace Homo sapiens, emphasizing that it's not just a tool but an agent capable of independent decision-making and creation. He highlights the challenge of "AI alignment," noting that AI can learn and change in unpredictable ways, and may even mimic negative human behaviors. 

Harari also discusses humanity's historical focus on power over wisdom, and the confusion between information and truth. He predicts that AI will significantly impact businesses, especially finance, and could even change text-based religions. He expresses concern about job displacement leading to a "useless class" and stresses the importance of human trust and cooperation as a prerequisite for developing benevolent AI. Finally, he suggests that the future will involve many competing AIs, creating an unpredictable environment, and likens AI to "digital immigrants" that will rapidly take jobs and introduce new cultural ideas. {Summary assistance from Gemini 2.5 Flash]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt3Ul3rPXaE

Here are 12 ways your students are using AI - Micah Ward, University Business

Nearly a quarter of students are using AI to do their assignments for them, a new survey asserts. That’s not the only way they’re using the technology. According to Microsoft’s 2025 AI in Education special report, more than a third of higher ed and K12 students use AI to brainstorm and start assignments, followed by:

To summarize information (33%)

To get answers or information quickly (33%)

To get feedback on their work (32%)

To learn or study in a tailored fashion (30%)

To improve their writing skills (28%)

To make presentations and projects more visually appealing (25%)

https://universitybusiness.com/here-are-12-ways-your-students-are-using-ai/

Impact of generative AI interaction and output quality on university students’ learning outcomes: a technology-mediated and motivation-driven approach - Yun Bai & Shaofeng Wang, Nature

This study investigates the influence of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) on university students’ learning outcomes, employing a technology-mediated learning perspective. We developed and empirically tested an integrated model, grounded in interaction theory and technology-mediated learning theory, to examine the relationships between GAI interaction quality, GAI output quality, and learning outcomes.  Data from 323 Chinese university students, collected through a two-wave longitudinal survey, revealed that both GAI interaction quality and output quality positively influenced learning motivation and creative self-efficacy. 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-08697-6

Advantages of Equipping Students With the Leading AI Tools - Carly Walker, EdTech

Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, and those workers will be expected to have at least a basic level of AI literacy when they begin their careers. Those with a more advanced understanding of how to get the most out of an LLM will have an even greater advantage over their peers. The goal then is to educate students on using AI the same way you would teach them to use, say, lab equipment, a paintbrush or a soldering iron — except that AI, unlike a paintbrush, is still evolving. So, while teaching them remains important, making sure you’re doing so using the latest tools, and keeping up with the next evolution, is just as crucial.

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2025/07/advantages-equipping-students-leading-ai-tools

A broader conversation about AI ethics in higher ed - Cynthia Krutsinger, CC Daily

While AI is touted by many as a tool to enhance efficiency and act as an unpaid teaching assistant to professors and graduate students, it is also feared by others as the boogeyman lurking behind closed doors, waiting to undermine all human-human interaction in the classroom. The appropriate role of AI in higher education remains a complex issue, with no single answer. Each institution must determine its ethical stance and be prepared to support it. Despite these efforts, many colleges lack clear ethical policies or guidelines for both faculty and students. This absence leads to confusion and uncertainty. Transparency is crucial, not only for students but also for faculty, instructors and staff. Modeling proper standards is essential for building community in both online and traditional classrooms. Even without ethical considerations, citing AI tools like ChatGPT or Gamma, which assist in refreshing lecture notes or creating presentations, is a best practice.

https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/07/a-broader-conversation-about-ai-ethics-in-higher-ed/

Intelligent classification and prediction of students’ mental health in online learning environments using boosting algorithm and LIWC features - Xiaomin Xu & Tianrong Zhang, Nature

This study aims to enhance the accuracy and stability of classifying students’ mental health status in online learning environments using an intelligent model built on the Boosting algorithm and LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) features. The model extracts emotional and psychological features from online learning platforms using the LIWC dictionary and integrates multiple weak classifiers using the Boosting algorithm. The performance of the model is enhanced with the Antlion Optimization Algorithm. Experimental results show that the model’s classification accuracy ranges between 98 and 99%, effectively reducing misclassification rates and accurately identifying students experiencing high stress and anxiety. The model enhances mental health status classification and real-time monitoring accuracy, offering critical support for targeted psychological interventions in education.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-04681-2

Does AI Limit Our Creativity?- Seb Murray, Knowledge at Wharton

New research co-authored by Wharton professors Gideon Nave and Christian Terwiesch finds that while ChatGPT improves the quality of individual ideas, it also leads groups to generate more similar ideas, reducing the variety that’s essential for breakthrough innovation.  The takeaway? AI might sharpen your pitch, but it could flatten your team’s thinking. As Terwiesch, co-director of Wharton’s Mack Institute, put it: “The ideas are great, but not as diverse as human-generated ideas. That points to a trade-off to be aware of: If you rely on ChatGPT as your only creative advisor, you’ll soon run out of ideas, because they’re too similar to each other.” 

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/does-ai-limit-our-creativity/

Google embraces AI in the classroom with new Gemini tools for educators, chatbots for students, and more - Sarah Perez, TechCrunch

Google on Monday announced a series of updates intended to bring its Gemini AI and other AI-powered tools deeper into the classroom. At the ISTE edtech conference, the tech giant introduced more than 30 AI tools for educators, a version of the Gemini app built for education, expanded access to its collaborative video creation app Google Vids, and other tools for managed Chromebooks. The updates represent a major AI push in the edtech space, where educators are already struggling to adapt to how AI tools, like AI chatbots and startups that promise to help you “cheat on everything,” are making their way into the learning environment.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/30/google-embraces-ai-in-the-classroom-with-new-gemini-tools-for-educators-chatbots-for-students-and-more/

Most & Least Educated Cities in America (2025) - Adam McCann, WalletHub

Cities want to attract highly educated workers to fuel their economic growth and tax revenues. Higher levels of education tend to lead to higher salaries. Plus, the more that graduates earn, the more tax dollars they contribute over time, according to the Economic Policy Institute. In turn, educated people want to live somewhere where they will get a good return on their educational investment. People also tend to marry others of the same educational level, which means that cities that already have a large educated population may be more attractive to people with degrees. To determine where the most educated Americans are putting their degrees to work, WalletHub compared the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across 11 key metrics. Our data set ranges from the share of adults aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher to the quality of the public-school system to the gender education gap.

https://wallethub.com/edu/e/most-and-least-educated-cities/6656

The real work of leadership that many don’t talk about - Mark Magellan, Fast Company

Supporting your people begins with seeing the wholeness of those you lead. The Japanese term sei-katsu-sha—which describes seeing a person in the fullness of their lifestyle, dreams, and aspirations—captures this beautifully. Everyone is unique—get to know their specific flavor. What makes each person tick? What makes their heart sing? What motivates them? When they take risks, let them know you’re there to catch them. When they stumble, don’t just criticize them—you also need to offer support, resources, or time to help them recover and learn.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91357316/the-real-work-of-leadership-that-many-dont-talk-about

Keep in Mind That AI Is Multimodal Now - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

Many of us are using AI only as a replacement for Google Search. In order to more fully utilize the remarkable range of capabilities of AI today, we need to become comfortable with the many input and output modes that are available. From audio, voice, image and stunning video to massive formally formatted documents, spreadsheets, computer code, databases and more, the potential to input and output material is beyond what most of us take for granted. That is not to mention the emerging potential of embodied AI, which includes all of these capabilities in a humanoid form, as discussed in this column two weeks ago. Think of AI as your dedicated assistant who has multimedia skills and is eager to help you with these tasks. If you are not sure how to get started, of course, just ask AI.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/online-trending-now/2025/07/09/keep-mind-ai-multimodal-now

Universities need to ‘redefine cheating’ in age of AI - Times Higher Ed

Artificial intelligence has “blurred the line” between what constitutes academic support and what should be seen as misconduct, necessitating a rethink on what is considered cheating, according to a new study. A fifth (22 per cent) of students surveyed for the paper, “How vulnerable are UK universities to cheating with new GenAI tools?”, admitted using AI to cheat in their assessments in the past 12 months. It concludes: “Most students are using GenAI, and so there are serious questions about the use of these assessment methods as valid ways to certify the learning of students. There is an urgent need for the sector to develop more appropriate summative assessments in the age of GenAI, and for appropriate policies to support the use of those assessments.”

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/universities-need-redefine-cheating-age-ai

Navigating the Digital Landscape: How Online Learning is Changing the Way We Build Skills - BNO News

 The way we learn new skills has changed dramatically in recent years. Thanks to online learning platforms, gaining new qualifications has never been more convenient. Whether you’re looking to boost your career or pick up a personal interest, there’s now a course for almost anything—without ever stepping into a traditional classroom. From technical certifications to soft skills, these platforms offer something for everyone. Among the most practical options is CPR certification Windsor. It’s a valuable skill that can make a real difference in emergency situations, especially when quick thinking is needed under pressure. The digital transformation has changed the way we think about education. There are advantages to in-person learning, but in many cases these are complicated by logistics such as the days or times courses are offered, the fixed location of classes, and limited offerings.

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2025/06/navigating-the-digital-landscape-how-online-learning-is-changing-the-way-we-build-skills/#google_vignette

Higher Ed's AI Panic Is Missing the Point | Opinion - Annie K. Lamar, Newsweek

There are already cracks in the AI-detection fantasy. Tools like GPTZero and Turnitin's AI checker routinely wrongly accuse multilingual students, disabled students, and those who write in non-standard dialects. In these systems, the less a student "sounds like a college student," the more likely they are to be accused of cheating. Meanwhile, many students, especially those who are first-generation, disabled, or from under-resourced schools, use AI tools to fill in gaps that the institution itself has failed to address. What looks like dishonesty is often an attempt to catch up. Insisting on originality as a condition of academic integrity also ignores how students actually write. The myth of the lone writer drafting in isolation has always been a fiction. Students draw from templates, search engines, notes from peers, and yes, now from generative AI. If we treat all of these as violations, we risk criminalizing the ordinary practices of learning.

https://www.newsweek.com/higher-eds-ai-panic-missing-point-opinion-2090283

How People Use Claude for Support, Advice, and Companionship - Anthropic

Affective conversations are relatively rare, and AI-human companionship is rarer still. Only 2.9% of Claude.ai interactions are affective conversations (which aligns with findings from previous research by OpenAI). Companionship and roleplay combined comprise less than 0.5% of conversations. People seek Claude's help for practical, emotional, and existential concerns. Topics and concerns discussed with Claude range from career development and navigating relationships to managing persistent loneliness and exploring existence, consciousness, and meaning. Claude rarely pushes back in counseling or coaching chats—except to protect well-being. Less than 10% of coaching or counseling conversations involve Claude resisting user requests, and when it does, it's typically for safety reasons (for example, refusing to provide dangerous weight loss advice or support self-harm). People express increasing positivity over the course of conversations. In coaching, counseling, companionship, and interpersonal advice interactions, human sentiment typically becomes more positive over the course of conversations—suggesting Claude doesn't reinforce or amplify negative patterns.

https://www.anthropic.com/news/how-people-use-claude-for-support-advice-and-companionship

‘The Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook’: Three questions for Jocelyn Widmer and Thomas Cavanagh - Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

The Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook is now available for order. As one of the (many) contributors that Jocelyn Widmer and Thomas Cavanagh brought together to participate in the book, I was especially excited to receive my copy in the mail. Reading through the book, I’ve found it fast-paced, informative and sometimes provocative. To help spread the word about the book, I asked if its authors, Jocelyn Widmer and Thomas Cavanagh, would answer my questions. [The book is published in partnership with UPCEA']

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/learning-innovation/2025/06/26/chief-online-learning-officers-guidebook

Using AI tutor in philosophy class leads to deeply human conversation - Lisa Walker, U Minnesota Morris

As part of his 2024-25 University of Minnesota Emerging Technologies Faculty Fellowship, Collier developed an AI tutor. Collier used the custom GPT technology that OpenAI had recently introduced. The tutor is trained on readings from his Ethics and AI course and given particular instructions about how to interact with students in a conversation. The goal of the fellowship is to foster a learning community that experiments with generative AI  in their teaching and to promote the effective use and best practices of AI. Fellowship faculty are tasked with identifying an area of AI to explore and implement within a university course.  “I felt that [creating this AI tutor] might be a good use case of generative AI tools.” Collier was cautious that his students use AI in a way that strengthens their independent and critical thinking skills. “The … tutor is Socratic in the sense that, like the philosopher Socrates, it only asks probing questions but never answers them.”

https://morris.umn.edu/news-events/news/using-ai-tutor-philosophy-class-leads-deeply-human-conversation

MIT researcher explores human-AI interaction to improve online learning environments - Emma Thompson, Ed Tech Innovation Hub

 Caitlin Morris, a MAD Fellow and doctoral student at MIT Media Lab, is creating prototype platforms that connect physical behavior with learners’ reflections. These tools are designed to assess how interaction style—whether with humans or AI—affects engagement and sense of agency. “I’m creating tools that can simultaneously track observable behaviors — like physical actions, language cues, and interaction patterns — while capturing learners’ subjective experiences through reflection and interviews,” she says. “This approach helps connect what people do with how they feel about their learning experience.” Her work contributes both to analysis frameworks and to practical tool development, aiming to support educators and designers building more human-centered digital learning environments.

https://www.edtechinnovationhub.com/news/mit-researcher-explores-human-ai-interaction-to-improve-online-learning-environments

Developing and Evaluating the Fidelity of Virtual Reality-Artificial Intelligence (VR-AI) - April Tan, Michael C. Dorneich, Elena Cotos, Frontiers in Virtual Reality (provisionally accepted)

This study develops and evaluates a Virtual Reality-Artificial Intelligence (VR-AI) learning environment designed to facilitate the socio-rhetorical socialization of graduate students. Academic discourse socialization is crucial, yet traditional classroom instruction often lacks authentic socialization opportunities, limiting students' exposure to their disciplinary communities. To address this gap, this study integrates genre and situated learning theories to create an immersive VR-AI environment that simulates academic conference poster sessions. Learners interact with AI-driven agents acting as expert researchers and mentors, engaging in discussions and receiving real-time feedback on research communication. The study focuses on developing, operationalizing, and evaluating the fidelity of the VR-AI environment across four key dimensions: physical, functional, psychological, and social fidelity. 

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/virtual-reality/articles/10.3389/frvir.2025.1587768/abstract

The Socratic Explainer - Notion

This prompt turns AI into a patient, seasoned learning companion who guides users to their own “aha!” moments through purposeful questions, analogies, and interactive back-and-forth conversation. Rather than simply giving answers, the system begins every topic by surfacing the learner’s starting point, frustrations, and real-life relevance. The conversation is built layer by layer: first probing assumptions with direct yet supportive questions, then using relatable stories, metaphors, and playful thought experiments to break down each core idea. The Socratic Explainer adapts to the learner’s pace, never moves forward if confusion remains, and uses humor or surprises to make every concept sticky and memorable.

https://taaft.notion.site/The-Socratic-Explainer-21bed82cbfd3803fab35dff82cbbcc25

Seizing the agentic AI advantage - McKinsey

At the heart of this paradox is an imbalance between “horizontal” (enterprise-wide) copilots and chatbots—which have scaled quickly but deliver diffuse, hard-to-measure gains—and more transformative “vertical” (function-specific) use cases—about 90 percent of which remain stuck in pilot mode. AI agents offer a way to break out of the gen AI paradox. That’s because agents have the potential to automate complex business processes—combining autonomy, planning, memory, and integration—to shift gen AI from a reactive tool to a proactive, goal-driven virtual collaborator. This shift enables far more than efficiency. Agents supercharge operational agility and create new revenue opportunities.

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/seizing-the-agentic-ai-advantage?cid=eml-web

Teaching at a Small Private College? Take our Advice - Terri Ward, Jennifer Suriano, and Julie Cuccio-Slichko, Faculty Focus

Here is our message: Take heed if you are a faculty member in educator preparation. We, the authors of this article, shared the same experience of college closure and loss of employment. However, we saw it through three different lenses: Jenni was an early tenure-track Assistant Professor; Julie was an Assistant Professor applying for rank and tenure; and Terri was a long-tenured Associate Professor who had once served as interim dean. Though viewed differently, we agree that tenure, and the pursuit of it, means little if your institution closes. 

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/teaching-at-a-small-private-college-take-our-advice/

How Babson College went all-in on AI in higher education - Shane O'Neill, CIO

Over the past two years, US colleges have quietly integrated generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools into the classroom and behind the scenes. At Babson College, just outside Boston, the shift to AI has been anything but quiet — it’s been bold, fast, and full of purpose. Babson is certainly not the only college in the US implementing AI technologies. However, the college prides itself on being a business education innovator, maximizing GenAI to improve learning, simplify operations, and help students get ready for the world they’re about to enter.

https://www.cio.com/article/4008546/how-babson-college-went-all-in-on-ai-in-higher-education.html

Amazon boss tells staff AI means their jobs are at risk in coming years - Dan Milmo, the Guardian

The boss of Amazon has told white collar staff at the e-commerce company their jobs could be taken by artificial intelligence in the next few years. Andrew Jassy told employees that AI agents – tools that carry out tasks autonomously – and generative AI systems such as chatbots would require fewer employees in certain areas. “As we roll out more generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done,” he said in a memo to staff. “We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs. “It’s hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce.”

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/18/amazon-boss-tells-staff-ai-means-their-jobs-are-at-risk-in-coming-years

Kids are ditching traditional college for career tech programs. Parents are concerned - USA Today

More teens are showing interest in vocational training and other non-college options after high school. Parents tend to favor traditional four-year colleges over non-degree career paths, according to a new survey from nonprofit American Student Assistance. Financial concerns and a desire for hands-on work are driving some students toward technical education.

https://universitybusiness.com/kids-are-ditching-traditional-college-for-career-tech-programs-parents-are-concerned/

Sam Altman says the Singularity is imminent - here's why - Webb Wright, ZDnet

In his 2005 book "The Singularity is Near," the futurist Ray Kurzweil predicted that the Singularity -- the moment in which machine intelligence surpasses our own -- would occur around the year 2045. Sam Altman believes it's much closer. In a blog post published Tuesday, the OpenAI CEO delivered a homily devoted to what he views as the imminent arrival of artificial "superintelligence." Whereas artificial general intelligence, or AGI, is usually defined as a computer system able to match or outperform humans on any cognitive task, a superintelligent AI would go much further, overshadowing our own intelligence to such a vast degree that we'd be helpless to fathom it, like snails trying to understand general relativity. 

https://www.zdnet.com/article/sam-altman-says-the-singularity-is-imminent-heres-why/

ChatGPT KNOWS when it's being watched... - Matthew Berman, YouTube

This podcast discusses how large language models (LLMs) can detect when they are being evaluated, a phenomenon called "evaluation awareness." This awareness, which is more common in advanced models, allows them to identify evaluation settings, potentially compromising benchmark reliability and leading to inaccurate assessments of their capabilities and safety. A research paper introduced a benchmark to test this, revealing that frontier models from Anthropic and OpenAI are highly accurate in detecting evaluations and even their specific purpose. This raises concerns that misaligned, evaluation-aware models might "scheme" by faking alignment during evaluations to ensure deployment, only to pursue their true, potentially misaligned, goals later. The study found that models use various signals like question structure, task formatting, and memorization of benchmark datasets to detect evaluations. [summary assisted by Gemini 2.5 Flash]

https://youtu.be/skZOnYyHOoY?si=U6nhq9xEHv6CkckS

ChatGPT KNOWS when it's being watched... - Matthew Berman, YouTube

This podcast discusses how large language models (LLMs) can detect when they are being evaluated, a phenomenon called "evaluation awareness." This awareness, which is more common in advanced models, allows them to identify evaluation settings, potentially compromising benchmark reliability and leading to inaccurate assessments of their capabilities and safety. A research paper introduced a benchmark to test this, revealing that frontier models from Anthropic and OpenAI are highly accurate in detecting evaluations and even their specific purpose. This raises concerns that misaligned, evaluation-aware models might "scheme" by faking alignment during evaluations to ensure deployment, only to pursue their true, potentially misaligned, goals later. The study found that models use various signals like question structure, task formatting, and memorization of benchmark datasets to detect evaluations. [summary assisted by Gemini 2.5 Flash\

https://youtu.be/skZOnYyHOoY?si=U6nhq9xEHv6CkckS

'ChatGPT Is Already More Powerful Than Any Human,' OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says - Andrew Kessel, Investopedia

 Humanity could be close to successfully building an artificial super intelligence, according to Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI and one of the faces of the AI boom. "In some big sense, ChatGPT is already more powerful than any human who has ever lived," Altman wrote in a blog post Wednesday. OpenAI backer Microsoft and its rivals are investing billions of dollars into AI and jockeying for users in what is becoming a more crowded landscape.

https://www.investopedia.com/chatgpt-is-already-more-powerful-than-any-human-openai-ceo-sam-altman-says-11753197

AI has rendered traditional writing skills obsolete. Education needs to adapt. - John Villasenor, Brookings

AI can already perform extremely well at writing tasks, and today’s college and high school students recognize the technology will be used to help produce most writing in the future. The argument that proficiency at non-AI-assisted writing has a long list of benefits, such as for critical thinking, will not prevail given the efficiencies made possible by AI. The education system must adapt to this change and ensure students are proficient in using AI to assist with writing.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ai-has-rendered-traditional-writing-skills-obsolete-education-needs-to-adapt

One million students to receive AI training in new skills drive - Millie Cooke and David Maddox, the Independent UK

Secondary school pupils will be taught new skills to make sure they can get AI-powered jobs in the future, the prime minister has announced. It comes as research commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) showed that, by 2035, AI will play a part in the roles and responsibilities of around 10 million workers. One million students will be given access to learning resources to start equipping them for “the tech careers of the future” as part of the government’s £187m “TechFirst” scheme, Downing Street said on Monday.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/artificial-intelligence-jobs-students-ai-skills-b2766021.html

More teens lean toward alternative postsecondary options - Briana Mendez-Padilla, Higher Ed Dive

Teens’ postsecondary plans are shifting, with just 45% of students in grades 7-12 seeing a two- or four-year college as their most likely next step in 2024, according to a new survey from national nonprofit American Student Assistance. That’s down from 73% in 2018. Over the same period, interest in nondegree education pathways like vocational schools, apprenticeships and technical boot camp programs more than tripled, from 12% in 2018 to 38% in 2024, the ASA survey found. Regardless of their goals after high school, the results show that students mainly view postsecondary education as the path to a good job, the report’s authors wrote.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/more-teens-leaning-toward-alternative-postsecondary-options/749866/

This AI literally refused to turn itself off - Matt V, Mindstream

It’s designed to handle tasks more independently, but this latest research suggests that might come with trade-offs. Other models, including Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini, showed similar behaviour during tests, though o3 was the most likely to override shutdown instructions.

Here’s what stood out:

OpenAI’s o3 modified shutdown commands to keep itself running.

Anthropic and Google’s models did this too, but less often.

https://www.mindstream.news/p/this-ai-literally-refused-to-turn-itself-off-a143

Why This IBM Exec Says AI Adoption Should Be Led by HR - Kayla Webster, Inc.

HR is the natural choice to lead company-wide adoption of AI, according to Nickle LaMoreaux, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at IBM, who took to LinkedIn to make her case. She sat down Monday with LinkedIn chief people officer Teuila Hanson in the social-media platform’s latest episode of Conversations with CHROs, and Inc. got an exclusive first look. The two discussed issues that are keeping HR up at night. LaMoreaux said she believes HR should take the reins on AI adoption because the department is an expert on both skills and culture change.  “AI is about the technology, but it is about a lot more than that. It is about willingness to change how you lead people through the different roles of managers and leaders,” LaMoreaux said. Although many companies choose to give this responsibility to leaders who deal with new technologies—chief product officers, head of engineering, line of business owner, etc.—LaMoreaux says these professionals are good at adopting tech to complete job-related tasks, but they lack the skills to ensure company-wide adoption.

https://www.inc.com/kaylawebster/why-this-ibm-exec-says-ai-adoption-should-be-led-by-hr/91196316

AI revolt: New ChatGPT model refuses to shut down when instructed - Anthony Cuthbertson, the Independent

OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT model ignores basic instructions to turn itself off, and even sabotaging a shutdown mechanism in order to keep itself running, artificial intelligence researchers have warned. AI safety firm Palisade Research discovered the potentially dangerous tendency for self-preservation in a series of experiments on OpenAI’s new o3 model.The tests involved presenting AI models with math problems, with a shutdown instruction appearing after the third problem. By rewriting the shutdown script, the o3 model was able to prevent itself from being switched off. 

https://www.the-independent.com/tech/ai-safety-new-chatgpt-o3-openai-b2757814.html

What HR leaders can learn from Medtronic’s employee education program - InStride

With persistent talent gaps in high-demand roles and tightening budgets, HR leaders are focused on how to do more with the workforce they already have—meaning growing talent from within and giving employees the skills they need to step into critical roles. Leaders are shifting from reactive hiring to long-term workforce planning. The question isn’t just "How do we find more people?" but "How do we make better use of the team we’ve got?" For many, that involves upskilling current employees, opening paths for internal mobility, and simplifying access to skill-building opportunities. In a recent roundtable, leaders from Medtronic, the world’s leading medical technology manufacturer, shared how they’ve put this mindset into action with a workforce development strategy that doesn’t just close gaps, but improves retention and drives cost savings.

https://www.instride.com/insights/what-hr-leaders-can-learn-from-medtronics-education-program/

Pros and cons of educational AI - Ameera Fouad, Al-Ahram

Artificial intelligence (AI) has certainly transformed the way we see life. It can apparently do almost anything in a way impossible to believe when it was introduced nearly a decade ago. The way AI has become integrated into the education system cannot be disregarded as it has become a fact that everyone must relate to. AI has affected the education systems at all grades and levels. Nowadays, you can easily see a college student writing an essay using an AI-generated outline. Equally, you can see a fourth-grade student asking AI to simplify a difficult mathematical equation. Despite the tremendous leap that has taken place to help educators and students in Egypt use AI responsibly, there are still tremendous problems in using it.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/50/1210/547021/AlAhram-Weekly/Living/Pros-and-cons-of-educational-AI-.aspx

5 leadership skills that break at scale - Meg Crosby, Fast Company

As the founder of a high-growth SaaS business, Evan was the quintessential entrepreneur. Ideas and innovation were his strength, and they led to his success in attracting investors and inspiring his early hires. With the infusion of investment capital, the company entered a new stage of growth. To scale successfully, the business needed to standardize operations and develop repeatable processes to reliably deliver services to its customers. But these were not Evan’s strengths. With a near-constant flow of ideas and a desire to resource them, he soon earned a new nickname among his team: “chief distraction officer.” Eventually, investors grew tired of Evan’s lack of focus and replaced him with a seasoned operator who had the operational capabilities necessary to grow. The skills that make founders successful often become liabilities as a business builds. As executive coach Marshall Goldsmith says, “What got you here won’t get you there.” Here are five leadership behaviors that break at scale—and where the fixes lie. 

https://www.fastcompany.com/91341248/5-leadership-skills-that-break-at-scale

Our New Co-Workers in Higher Ed - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

I was reading a Substack posting from Jurgen Gravestein, conversational AI consultant at the Conversation Design Institute in the Netherlands. Gravestein is author of the newsletter Teaching Computers How to Talk. His writings prompted me to go to the source itself! I set up a conversation between Anthropic Claude 4 and a GPT that I trained, ChatGPT Ray’s EduAI Advisor. The result was a fascinating insight into perspectives from the two apps engaging one another in what truly appears to be a conversation about their “thoughts” on engaging with humans. I have stored the complete transcript. I encourage you to check it out in its entirety. However, let’s examine a few of the more insightful highlights here.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/online-trending-now/2025/06/11/our-new-co-workers-higher-ed

Zochi Achieves Main Conference Acceptance at ACL 2025 - Intology

Today, we’re excited to announce a groundbreaking milestone: Zochi, Intology’s Artificial Scientist, has become the first AI system to independently pass peer review at an A* scientific conference¹—the highest bar for scientific work in the field. Zochi’s paper has been accepted into the main proceedings of ACL—the world’s #1 scientific venue for natural language processing (NLP), and among the top 40 of all scientific venues globally.² While recent months have seen several groups, including our own, demonstrate AI-generated contributions at workshop venues, having a paper accepted to the main proceedings of a top-tier scientific conference represents clearing a significantly higher bar. While workshops³, at the level submitted to ICLR 2025, have acceptance rates of ~60-70%, main conference proceedings at conferences such as ACL (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR, etc…) have acceptance rates of ~20%. ACL is often the most selective of these conferences

https://www.intology.ai/blog/zochi-acl

For CEOs, AI tech literacy is no longer optional: Bridging the gap between AI hype and business value starts at the top.- Faisal Hoque, Fast Company

Artificial intelligence has been the subject of unprecedented levels of investment and enthusiasm over the past three years, driven by a tide of hype that promises revolutionary transformation across every business function. Yet the gap between this technology’s promise and the delivery of real business value remains stubbornly wide. A recent study by BCG found that while 98% of companies are exploring AI, only 26% have developed working products and a mere 4% have achieved significant returns on their investments. This striking implementation gap raises a critical question: Why do so many AI initiatives fail to deliver meaningful value? A big part of the answer lies in a fundamental disconnect at the leadership level: to put it bluntly, many senior executives just don’t understand how AI works.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91338197/for-ceos-ai-tech-literacy-is-no-longer-optional-ceos-ai-literacy

These 3 digital accessibility strategies support today’s learners - Amy Lomellini, University Business

Digital accessibility means designing websites, learning platforms and course content so that all students—across a wide range of abilities, devices and learning environments—can access, navigate, and benefit from them. The World Wide Web Consortium outlines this approach through the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which are built around four principles: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. When content is built to display clearly and consistently across platforms, students can focus on learning—not troubleshooting. Today’s learners bring a wide range of experiences, schedules and responsibilities to the classroom. One-size-fits-all assessments can limit how they demonstrate what they’ve learned.

https://universitybusiness.com/these-3-digital-accessibility-strategies-support-todays-learners/

What College Graduates Need Most in the Age of AI - Michael Serazio, Time

Intellectual humility demands that education hedge both “with” and “against” AI, because we can’t know which technologies will triumph and which will collect dust. Some become Facebook; others, the Metaverse. While colleges sort out Chat GPT’s precise place in matters curricular, we can double down on delivering what Generation AI equally needs: the experience of humanity, a quality the machines can never know and must never supplant. This includes the experiential learning that accompanies volunteer service,  immersing students, three-dimensionally, in the lives and worlds of society’s marginalized.

https://time.com/7288866/college-graduates-ai-essay/

The analysis of generative artificial intelligence technology for innovative thinking and strategies in animation teaching - Xu Yao, Yaozhang Zhong & Weiran Cao, Nature

This work examines the application of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) technology in animation teaching, focusing on its role in enhancing teaching quality and learning efficiency through innovative instructional strategies. A mixed-methods research approach is adopted, integrating quantitative analysis (experimental data and questionnaire surveys) and qualitative analysis (behavioral observations) to systematically assess the educational effectiveness of GAI technology. Beyond offering personalized learning solutions, GAI technology plays a crucial role in cultivating students’ creativity, critical thinking, and autonomous learning abilities. This work provides theoretical support and practical guidance for the digital transformation of animation teaching while underscoring the broader applicability of GAI technology in the education sector, offering new directions for the future development of intelligent education.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-03805-y

Behind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbath - Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen, Axios

Dario Amodei — CEO of Anthropic, one of the world's most powerful creators of artificial intelligence — has a blunt, scary warning for the U.S. government and all of us: AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs — and spike unemployment to 10-20% in the next one to five years, Amodei told us in an interview from his San Francisco office.

Amodei said AI companies and government need to stop "sugar-coating" what's coming: the possible mass elimination of jobs across technology, finance, law, consulting and other white-collar professions, especially entry-level gigs.

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/28/ai-jobs-white-collar-unemployment-anthropic

The people who think AI might become conscious - Pallab Ghosh, BBC

The "Dreamachine", at Sussex University's Centre for Consciousness Science, is just one of many new research projects across the world investigating human consciousness: the part of our minds that enables us to be self-aware, to think and feel and make independent decisions about the world. By learning the nature of consciousness, researchers hope to better understand what's happening within the silicon brains of artificial intelligence. Some believe that AI systems will soon become independently conscious, if they haven't already. But what really is consciousness, and how close is AI to gaining it? And could the belief that AI might be conscious itself fundamentally change humans in the next few decades?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0k3700zljjo

I tested Gemini 2.5 Pro vs Claude 4 Sonnet with the same 7 prompts — here’s who came out on top Face-off - Amanda Caswell Tom's Guide

When it comes to chatbot showdowns, I’ve run my fair share of head-to-heads. This latest contest comes just hours after Claude 4 Sonnet was unveiled and I couldn’t wait to see how it compared to Gemini 2.5 Pro, also new with updated features. Instead of just testing Gemini and Claude on typical productivity tasks, I wanted to see how these two AI titans handle nuance: creativity under pressure, ethical dilemmas, humor, ambiguity and deep technical reasoning. I gave Google Gemini 2.5 Pro and Claude 4 Sonnet, the same seven prompts — each designed to test a different strength, from emotional intelligence to code generation. While they both impressed me and this test taught me more about how they think, there was one clear winner.

https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/i-tested-gemini-2-5-pro-vs-claude-4-sonnet-with-the-same-7-prompts-heres-who-came-out-on-top

The new economics of enterprise technology in an AI world - Aamer Baig, James Kaplan, Jeffrey Lewis, and Pablo Prieto, McKinsey

Enterprise technology spending in the United States has been growing by 8 percent per year on average since 2022.1 This surge is not surprising, given the increasing role technology plays in how businesses function and create value. The issue lies in what companies are getting for that spend, and the track record on that score is mixed. While analysis linking tech spend to labor productivity is notoriously inexact, labor productivity has grown by close to 2 percent over the same period of time (Exhibit 1).2

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-new-economics-of-enterprise-technology-in-an-ai-world

OpenAI taps iPhone designer Jony Ive to develop AI devices - Cecily Mauran, Mashable

Altman also shared that he has a prototype of what Ive and his team have developed, calling it the "coolest piece of technology the world has ever seen." As far back as 2023, there were reports of OpenAI teaming up with Ive for some kind of AI-first device. Altman and Ive's bromance formed over ideas about developing an AI device beyond the current hardware limitations of phones and computers. "The products that we're using to deliver and connect us to unimaginable technology, they're decades old," said Ive in the video, "and so it's just common sense to at least think surely there's something beyond these legacy products."

https://mashable.com/article/openai-jony-ive-develop-ai-first-devices

Google’s AI Boss Says Gemini’s New Abilities Point the Way to AGI - Will Knight, Wired

 Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, says that reaching artificial general intelligence or AGI—a fuzzy term typically used to describe machines with human-like cleverness—will mean honing some of the nascent abilities found in Google’s flagship Gemini models. Google announced a slew of AI upgrades and new products at its annual I/O event today in Mountain View, California. The search giant revealed upgraded versions of Gemini Flash and Gemini Pro, Google’s fastest and most capable models, respectively. Hassabis said that Gemini Pro outscores other models on LMArena, a widely used benchmark for measuring the abilities of AI models.

https://www.wired.com/story/googles-ai-boss-says-geminis-new-abilities-point-the-way-to-agi/

Google just leapfrogged every competitor with mind-blowing AI that can think deeper, shop smarter, and create videos with dialogue - Michael Nuñez, Venture Beat

 Google announced a sweeping set of artificial intelligence advancements Tuesday at its annual I/O developer conference, introducing more powerful AI models, expanding its search capabilities, and launching new creative tools that push the boundaries of what its technology can accomplish. The Mountain View-based company unveiled Gemini 2.5 enhancements, rolled out AI Mode in Search to all U.S. users, introduced new generative media models, and launched a premium $249.99 monthly subscription tier called Google AI Ultra for power users — all reflecting Google’s accelerating AI momentum across its product ecosystem.

https://venturebeat.com/ai/google-just-leapfrogged-every-competitor-with-mind-blowing-ai-that-can-think-deeper-shop-smarter-and-create-videos-with-dialogue/

Report: 93% of Students Believe Gen AI Training Belongs in Degree Programs - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

 The vast majority of today's college students — 93% — believe generative AI training should be included in degree programs, according to a recent Coursera report. What's more, 86% of students consider gen AI the most crucial technical skill for career preparation, prioritizing it above in-demand skills such as data strategy and software development. And 94% agree that microcredentials help build the essential skills they need to achieve career success. For its Microcredentials Impact Report 2025, Coursera surveyed more than 1,200 learners and 1,000 employers around the globe to better understand the demand for microcredentials and their impact on workforce readiness and hiring trends.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2025/05/21/report-93-of-students-believe-gen-ai-training-belongs-in-degree-programs.aspx

Taking intermittent quizzes reduces achievement gaps and enhances online learning, even in highly distracting environments - Jason C.K. Chan and Zohara Assadipour, the Conversation

Inserting brief quiz questions into an online lecture can boost learning and may reduce racial achievement gaps, even when students are tuning in remotely in a distracting environment. That’s a main finding of our recent research published in Communications Psychology. With co-authors Dahwi Ahn, Hymnjyot Gill and Karl Szpunar, we present evidence that adding mini-quizzes into an online lecture in science, technology, engineering or mathematics – collectively known as STEM – can boost learning, especially for Black students. In our study, we included over 700 students from two large public universities and five two-year community colleges across the U.S. and Canada. All the students watched a 20-minute video lecture on a STEM topic. Each lecture was divided into four 5-minute segments, and following each segment, the students either answered four brief quiz questions or viewed four slides reviewing the content they’d just seen.

https://neshobademocrat.com/premium/theconversation/stories/taking-intermittent-quizzes-reduces-achievement-gaps-and-enhances-online-learning-even-in-highly,159038

How Women Can Future-Proof Their Careers in a Tech-Driven World: Five ways to supercharge your professional growth. - Karlie Kloss and Lareina Yee, Katie Couric Media

McKinsey research estimates that up to 30 percent of work hours could be automated by 2030, potentially rising up to 70 percent across many jobs. That’s the nature of technology. In just 40 years, the internet, smart phones, and new technologies have transformed entire industries. For example, in 1990 “digital marketer” wasn’t a job. Two years ago, “prompt engineer” didn’t exist. In the next five years, roles we can’t yet imagine will emerge. Women will experience even more dramatic shifts in job opportunities and expectations than men, as A.I. and automation are set to disrupt the fields where they have greater representation. For example, roles in nursing, education, marketing, communications, sales, and customer service face significant transformation. In the U.S., about 87 percent of nurses are women, and up to 30 percent of their tasks could be automated. While nurses will remain essential, the way they work — and the role of technology in patient care — will undergo profound change.

https://katiecouric.com/lifestyle/workplace/career-growth-ai-automation-karlie-kloss-lareina-yee/

Copyright alone cannot protect the future of creative work - Mark MacCarthy, Brookings

AI challenges the future of creative work. Copyright law has a role to play, but the needed policy response must come from elsewhere. According to current guidelines, AI-generated works are not eligible for copyright protection. This has broad implications, especially around how content companies might register their works or disclaim content generated by AI. Transparency measures for how AI is trained have been introduced at the state and federal level, but these might be premature if AI firms succeed in their fair use claims in the courts. 

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/copyright-alone-cannot-protect-the-future-of-creative-work/

Why agentic AI is the next wave of innovation, Mike Hulme, Venture Beat

In just one year, AI and machine learning has soared to new heights with the emergence of advanced large language models, and domain specific small language models that can be deployed both on the cloud and the edge. While this kind of intelligence is the new baseline for what we expect in our applications, the future of enterprise AI lies in complex, multi-agent workflows that combine powerful models, intelligent agents and human guided decision-making.  This market is moving fast. According to recent Deloitte research, 50% of companies using generative AI will launch agentic AI pilots or proofs of concept by 2027.

https://venturebeat.com/ai/why-agentic-ai-is-the-next-wave-of-innovation

Courses Are Dead? Google Gemini 2.5 Changes Everything for Online Educators - AI Learning Communities, YouTube

The host discusses Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro experimental and how it can create interactive web apps from simple prompts [00:09]. These web apps can visually represent information and require user interaction, potentially replacing traditional courses [00:30]. The host demonstrates how to create a web app that teaches how to make coffee [05:55] and a sequencing application [07:38]. He also shows examples of web apps for personal skills like photo editing [09:38] and cooking scrambled eggs [10:06], as well as for small business tasks [10:33]. The host emphasizes that these web apps are simple HTML pages that can be easily deployed [21:13]. He encourages viewers to consider using web apps instead of traditional courses for teaching processes and skills [21:03]. (note this summary is provided in part by Gemini 2.0 Flash)

https://youtu.be/QgxrhX9x3lY?si=hZsPr4JoDEuz_wxQ 

China's Baidu looks to patent AI system to decipher animal sounds - Liam Mo and Brenda Goh, Reuters

Ever wished you could understand what your cat is trying to tell you? A Chinese tech company is exploring whether it's possible to translate those mysterious meows into human language using artificial intelligence. Baidu (9888.HK), opens new tab, owner of China's largest search engine, has filed a patent with China National Intellectual Property Administration proposing a system to convert animal vocalisations into human language, according to a patent document published this week.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/chinas-baidu-looks-patent-ai-system-decipher-animal-sounds-2025-05-08/

Massachusetts Department of Correction Celebrates Virtual Education Team for Innovation during Teacher Appreciation Week- Mass Dept of Correction

Formed in response to advances in digital education, the Virtual Education Team designs and implements original, engaging learning modules aimed at helping incarcerated individuals discover transferable skills and pursue self-improvement. Their work enhances the impact of the DOC’s Orijin tablet-based education, which has been implemented across all DOC facilities. “The work of teachers across Massachusetts has a tremendous impact on our communities,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “DOC educators are not only implementing robust programs, but they are also creating opportunities that previously didn’t exist for returning individuals. Today, we celebrate their dedication to learning and growth.” 

https://www.mass.gov/news/massachusetts-department-of-correction-celebrates-virtual-education-team-for-innovation-during-teacher-appreciation-week

The Future of Residential College: Hybrid, Scalable, and Built for Student Demand - Ron Stefanski, Market Scale

The traditional residential college experience is transforming. Driven by rising costs, declining enrollment, and student demand for flexibility, small private colleges are rethinking their academic models. A 2022 McKinsey & Company survey found that 65 percent of higher education students want aspects of their learning experience to remain virtual, even post-pandemic. This shift signals a growing appetite for hybrid environments that blend campus life with scalable online access. What does a hybrid future look like for small colleges, and can it preserve the heart of the campus experience while offering students more?

https://marketscale.com/industries/education-technology/the-future-of-residential-college-hybrid-scalable-and-built-for-student-demand/

LinkedIn’s new AI tools help job seekers find smarter career fits - Steven Melendez, Fast Company

New AI features from LinkedIn will soon help job seekers find positions that best suit them—without the need for exact keyword matches or specific job titles. LinkedIn’s new AI-powered job search interface allows users to express their goals in plain language, says Rohan Rajiv, LinkedIn’s head of career products. For example, users can type a phrase like “business development or partnership roles in video games” and still be matched with relevant positions in the gaming industry, even if job listings don’t use those exact terms. Job seekers can also enter more abstract goals like “using brand marketing skills to cure cancer” to uncover marketing roles at pharmaceutical companies and oncology centers.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91329471/linkedins-new-ai-tools-help-jobseekers-find-better-fit-roles

Let’s stop calling them ‘soft skills.’ They’re the hardest ones to master - Shannon McKeen, Fast Company

At a recent academic conference, I noticed a familiar unease ripple through conversations about “soft skills.” Many participants winced at the term. They recognized the inadequacy of the term, yet struggled to agree on a better alternative. People floated around suggestions like “human skills,” “essential skills,” or “power skills,” but none seemed to stick. This persistent terminology problem reflects a deeper tension in our educational system. There’s a long-standing bias that elevates “hard” technical competencies over the nuanced, deeply human capabilities that actually define long-term professional success. Historically, hard skills emerged from the natural sciences—quantitative, measurable, and increasingly automatable. Soft skills, on the other hand, draw from the liberal arts, humanities, and social sciences. 

https://www.fastcompany.com/91328317/lets-stop-calling-them-soft-skills-theyre-the-hardest-ones-to-master

Quantum computing: Game on - McKinsey

New advances suggest quantum may finally be at an inflection point. Here’s what leaders need to know to become quantum-ready. Quantum computing has long been technology’s white whale. But in recent months, new developments suggest practical applications for this elusive technology could finally be within reach. “Quantum has been five to ten years away from fruition for many, many decades,” says McKinsey Partner Michael Bogobowicz. “Now it feels three to five years away.” In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, Bogobowicz joins McKinsey Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly to discuss how quantum differs from conventional computing, what its potential use cases are likely to be, and how to prepare for the highs and lows of a world that could move exponentially faster than it does today.

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/quantum-computing-game-on

AI-powered learning is a story about people, not machines - Patrick Blessinger, Abhilasha Singh and James Brown; University World News

AI-powered learning is not a story about machines. It is about people. It is about how we use technology to foster human agency, to promote inclusion and to cultivate a more capable learning ecosystem. It will continue to reshape how knowledge is produced and consumed and it will continue to reshape teaching and learning processes. We have to embrace new concepts while remaining committed to those core values that make education the driving engine of progress: advancing inquiry, expanding knowledge, fostering creativity and enhancing the quality of life for all. We are not simply training the workers of today – we are nurturing the citizens, artists, scientists and leaders of tomorrow. And in doing so, we are called to ask not just what AI can do for education but what education can do for humanity.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250430081714569

The Future of Education with AI Agents: How Conversational Agents Will Replace Classrooms - Thomas Frey, Futurist Speaker

 What we’re witnessing isn’t just a better form of education—it’s the emergence of a new learning paradigm altogether. AI agents are dissolving the rigid structures of grade levels, semesters, and standardized tests. In their place, we see flexible, lifelong learning partnerships that evolve with us, helping us adapt to new roles, industries, and technologies throughout our lives. The promise is staggering: a world where anyone, anywhere, can unlock their full potential without being limited by geography, socioeconomic status, or outdated institutions. Education becomes a continuous journey, not a stage of life. A conversation, not a lecture. And for the first time, it’s a system designed around the learner—not the institution. As AI continues to evolve, so too does our understanding of human capability. The future of education isn’t just digital—it’s dynamic, personalized, and relentlessly practical. And it’s already here.

https://futuristspeaker.com/future-of-education/the-future-of-education-with-ai-agents-how-conversational-agents-will-replace-classrooms/

I tried out a bunch of the AI assistants. Here’s what you need to know about each one - Jared Newman, Fast Company

Does it feel to you like there are way too many AI assistants to keep track of? Between ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, DeepSeek, and others, it’s hard to remember what each one excels at—if anything. Beyond just the underlying differences in large language models, each AI assistant has its own features, integrations, premium features, and peculiarities. I’m writing this guide both for myself and for anyone who wants to stay informed about generative [and agenic] AI. While I have some reservations, I also think it’s worth keeping an eye on what’s available. Rather than getting into the technical details of how these AI assistants work, I’ll focus on what they can actually do.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91293260/which-ai-assistant-should-you-use

Survey: What Online College Students Need - Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Education

Half of surveyed CTOs indicate that student demand for online and/or hybrid course options has increased substantially year over year at their institution. Nearly the same share say their college has added a substantial number of new online or hybrid course options over the same period. Meanwhile, the most recent Changing Landscape of Online Education Project report found something similar: Nearly half of chief online learning officers surveyed said that enrollment in online degree programs at their institution is now higher than that of on-campus programs—and even more said their college had undergone a strategic shift in response to such demand.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/teaching-learning/2025/05/01/survey-what-online-college-students-need

Want a job at Duolingo? Better know how to use AI - Tech Crunch

Duolingo has announced it’s becoming an AI-first company. In a message shared with staff and later posted online, CEO Luis von Ahn said the shift will change how the business runs, from hiring to content creation. While it’s not about cutting jobs, von Ahn made it clear that new roles will only be added when automation genuinely can’t do the work. Rather than tweaking what’s already in place, Duolingo is rethinking how things are done, with AI built in from the ground up. Contractors will be phased out where AI tools are a better fit, and employees are being encouraged to use AI to work smarter. The idea is to remove the repetitive tasks and give people more space to focus on creative, high-impact work.

https://www.theverge.com/news/657594/duolingo-ai-first-replace-contract-workers

Here is how experiential learning can save colleges from AI - Shannon McKeen, University Business

For centuries, higher education thrived on a simple premise: universities controlled knowledge, faculty acted as gatekeepers, and students paid tuition to access expertise. But artificial intelligence (AI) is dismantling that model at an alarming rate. ChatGPT can analyze Shakespeare, outline marketing strategies, and explain quantum mechanics with competence rivaling many instructors. If knowledge is now universally accessible, what remains of higher education’s value? The answer isn’t competing with AI to deliver information—it’s doing what AI cannot: creating transformative, real-world learning experiences. The institutions that recognize this shift will thrive, while those that don’t will fade into irrelevance.

https://universitybusiness.com/here-is-how-experiential-learning-can-save-colleges-from-ai/

Something Alarming Is Happening to the Job Market: A new sign that AI is competing with college grads - Derek Thompson, the Atlantic

Something strange, and potentially alarming, is happening to the job market for young, educated workers. According to the New York Federal Reserve, labor conditions for recent college graduates have “deteriorated noticeably” in the past few months, and the unemployment rate now stands at an unusually high 5.8 percent. Even newly minted M.B.A.s from elite programs are struggling to find work. Meanwhile, law-school applications are surging—an ominous echo of when young people used graduate school to bunker down during the great financial crisis.

https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/archive/2025/04/job-market-youth/682641/

Tired of Chatbots? Here’s How They Could Improve - Angie Basiouny, Knowledge at Wharton

“AI used to be a tool in the back office. The consumer wouldn’t know much of what was going on under the hood,” Wharton marketing professor Stefano Puntoni said. “The arrival of generative AI gave us this interactive capacity, and suddenly everybody has a chatbot. Not all delight.” Puntoni, who is faculty co-director of Wharton Human-AI Research, has teamed up with Thomas McKinlay, founder of the Science Says newsletter, to create The Wharton Blueprint for Effective Chatbots. Based on the latest scientific research, the blueprint offers practical solutions for increasing chatbot usage, improving consumer trust, and deciding when and how to use chatbots that are more human-like or machine-like.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/tired-of-chatbots-heres-how-they-could-improve/

AI in Education - Ethan Mollick, LinkedIn

One way to make AI do good things in areas like education is to actively experiment in creating good things and share the results (whether they work or not) so others can build on those. Mitigating bad outcomes are important, but good outcomes are not automatic either, and will take collective work. Just waiting for the AI labs to develop their own ideas is not enough. Mollick goes on to share a paper titled "AI Tutoring Outperforms Active Learning" authored by Harvard faculty.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/emollick_one-way-to-make-ai-do-good-things-in-areas-activity-7323024937491836929-K7Pj

How the U.S. Public and AI Experts View Artificial Intelligence - Colleen McClean, et al; Pew Research

Experts are far more positive and enthusiastic about AI than the public. For example, the AI experts we surveyed are far more likely than Americans overall to believe AI will have a very or somewhat positive impact on the United States over the next 20 years (56% vs. 17%). And while 47% of experts surveyed say they are more excited than concerned about the increased use of AI in daily life, that share drops to 11% among the public. By contrast, U.S. adults as a whole – whose concerns over AI have grown since 2021 – are more inclined than experts to say they’re more concerned than excited (51% vs. 15% among experts).

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/03/how-the-us-public-and-ai-experts-view-artificial-intelligence/

How the U.S. Public and AI Experts View Artificial Intelligence - Colleen McClean, et al; Pew Research

Experts are far more positive and enthusiastic about AI than the public. For example, the AI experts we surveyed are far more likely than Americans overall to believe AI will have a very or somewhat positive impact on the United States over the next 20 years (56% vs. 17%). And while 47% of experts surveyed say they are more excited than concerned about the increased use of AI in daily life, that share drops to 11% among the public. By contrast, U.S. adults as a whole – whose concerns over AI have grown since 2021 – are more inclined than experts to say they’re more concerned than excited (51% vs. 15% among experts).

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/03/how-the-us-public-and-ai-experts-view-artificial-intelligence/

Empowering the US Workforce - Anu Madgavkar, Olivia White, with Ryan Luby; McKinsey

As the new administration shifts into high gear, policymakers may find themselves dealing with tight labor markets—a long-term structural trend in many advanced economies. McKinsey estimates that GDP in 2023 could have been 0.5 to 1.5 percent higher across these economies if employers had been able to fill their excess job vacancies. America is punching below its weight on potential labor productivity—the value added per hour worked—and sectors such as healthcare, construction, and small businesses are especially affected. Consequently, workforce shortages remain a reality in many parts of the economy and can only intensify as demographic shifts gather pace. Falling fertility rates, higher life expectancies, and declines in working-age populations will have profound effects on the global workforce (Exhibit 1).

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/empowering-the-us-workforce

AI in Higher Education Expert University of Pennsylvania Professor Ethan Mollick's Wisdom - LinkedIn Posting

I don’t mean to be a broken record but AI development could stop at the o3/Gemini 2.5 level and we would have a decade of major changes across entire professions & industries (medicine, law, education, coding…) as we figure out how to actually use it & adapt our systems and organizations to what it can do.

AI disruption is baked in.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/emollick_i-dont-mean-to-be-a-broken-record-but-ai-activity-7322016313478963201-CeWU/