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.
Thursday, July 10, 2025
5 signals that make you instantly more trustworthy at work - Scott Hutcheson, Fast Company
Your brain and body are constantly sending subtle signals that influence trust. Here’s how to send them more intentionally. The signals that trigger trust are not abstract: they’re cues the human brain is wired to read quickly and deeply, because in evolutionary terms, deciding whether someone was safe to approach was once a matter of survival. That’s still true in the modern workplace. Whether you’re onboarding to a new team, pitching an idea to executives, or building rapport with clients, the signals you send, especially those of warmth, create the foundation for influence. Here are five warmth signals, rooted in behavioral science, that can make you instantly more trustworthy at work.
'We need to become more AI literate', says Irish expert - James Cox, Breaking News Ireland
Artificial intelligence (AI) learning should go beyond the basics of AI literacy to equip students for the future, according to an Irish expert. Dr Gearóid Ó Súilleabháin is head of the Department of Technology Enhanced Learning at Munster Technological University (MTU), where he leads the development and management of online and blended programmes, promotes research into the enhancement of teaching and learning through technology, and supports the mainstream use of technology-enhanced learning. "I think the best we we can do is become more AI literate which goes beyond just teaching people how to design the right prompts for these generative AI systems and to help people to kind of understand what these systems are doing, how they're built and some of the ethical issues arising in their use, and in the way that they're now moving towards the mainstream.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
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.
The US Department of Education is far behind on producing key statistics - Dominique J. Baker, Brookings
The Department of Education missed its June 1 deadline to release the full Condition of Education report, instead publishing a limited version following public attention. The 2024 Digest of Education Statistics includes just 27 tables by the deadline—far fewer than the nearly 270, on average, published in prior years. Cuts to staff and canceled contracts appear to have delayed or reduced key education data reporting, limiting the information available to policymakers, researchers, and the public.
The AI Backlash Keeps Growing Stronger - Reece Rogers, Wired
The negative response online is indicative of a larger trend: Right now, though a growing number of Americans use ChatGPT, many people are sick of AI’s encroachment into their lives and are ready to fight back. The impacts of generative AI on the workforce are another core issue that critics are organizing around. “Workers are more intuitive than a lot of the pundit class gives them credit for,” says Merchant. “They know this has been a naked attempt to get rid of people.” The next major shift in public opinion will likely follow previous patterns, occurring when broad swaths of workers feel further threatened and organize in response. And this time, the in-person protests may be just as big as the online backlash.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
No One Is in Charge at the US Copyright Office - Kate Knibbs, Wired
It’s a tumultuous time for copyright in the United States, with dozens of potentially economy-shaking AI copyright lawsuits winding through the courts. Described as “sleepy” in the past, the Copyright Office has taken on new prominence during the AI boom, issuing key rulings about AI and copyright. It also hasn’t had a leader in more than a month. In May, Copyright Register Shira Perlmutter was abruptly fired by email by the White House’s deputy director of personnel. Perlmutter is now suing the Trump administration, alleging that her firing was invalid; the government maintains that the executive branch has the authority to dismiss her. Despite the firing, Perlmutter still characterizes herself as the Copyright Register. “Despite Mr. Perkins’s claim that he is Acting Register of Copyrights, I remain Register of Copyrights and therefore am required by law to fulfill my above-described statutory obligations,” she said in a declaration in May. As the legality of the ouster is debated, the reality within the office is this: There’s effectively nobody in charge.
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.”
Supporting continuity of learning in Ukraine - UNESCO Global Education Coalition
An initiative of UNESCO's Global Education CoalitionUNESCO’s Digital teacher training course, with funding from Google.org, supports teachers in Ukraine in developing digital skills and using digital tools to deliver quality distance and hybrid education. To date, nearly 77,400 teachers have enrolled in the course, representing over 1 in 4 teachers in Ukraine, with a certification rate of 42%. The project’s community of practice, which has 29,500 subscribers, enables teachers to engage with peers, gain access to professional psychologists and participate in live events. "The most significant change is the integration of digital tools and resources into my lessons, making learning more interactive and accessible for students. I saw a remarkable increase in student participation and motivation." -Alina Kolomiichenko, Teacher from the programme Ukraine Teacher Professional Development Suite
https://www.unesco.org/en/global-education-coalition/ukraine-support?hub=132423
Monday, July 7, 2025
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.
What is multimodal AI? - McKinsey
Multimodal AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can understand and process different types of information, such as text, images, audio, and video, all at the same time. Multimodal gen AI models produce outputs based on these various inputs. Multimodal models mirror the brain’s ability to combine sensory inputs for a nuanced, holistic understanding of the world, much like how humans use their variety of senses to perceive reality. These gen AI models’ ability to seamlessly perceive multiple inputs—and simultaneously generate output—allows them to interact with the world in innovative, transformative ways and represents a significant advancement in AI. By combining the strengths of different types of content (including text, images, audio, and video) from different sources, multimodal gen AI models can understand data in a more comprehensive way, which enables them to process more complex inquiries that result in fewer hallucinations (inaccurate or misleading outputs).
Scientists forge path to the first million-qubit processor for quantum computers after 'decade in the making' breakthrough - Owen Hughes, Live Science
Scientists have developed a new type of computer chip that removes a major obstacle to practical quantum computers, making it possible for the first time to place millions of qubits and their control systems on the same device.The new control chip operates at cryogenic temperatures close to absolute zero (about minus 459.67 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 273.15 degrees Celsius) and, crucially, can be placed close to qubits without disrupting their quantum state. "This result has been more than a decade in the making, building up the know-how to design electronic systems that dissipate tiny amounts of power and operate near absolute zero," lead researcher David Reilly, professor at the University of Sydney Nano Institute and School of Physics, said in a statement.
Sunday, July 6, 2025
GPT-5: The AI That Will End The World As We Know It - Julia McCoy, YouTube
This podcast episode delves into the much-anticipated release of OpenAI's GPT-5, heralding it as a groundbreaking advancement in artificial intelligence that will reshape our world. The episode outlines a potential release by the summer of 2025, with some speculating a later release in December. The discussion highlights the expected capabilities of GPT-5, which are predicted to include superior reasoning skills, mastery in coding, and a significant reduction in AI "hallucinations." The podcast also touches upon the rise of autonomous AI agents by July 2025, capable of managing complex workflows and utilizing real-world APIs at speeds far exceeding human capabilities [04:03]. Leaked benchmarks suggest remarkable improvements in accuracy across various tasks, including a 95% accuracy in MMLU, an 85% in SWE-Bench, and significant gains in advanced mathematics and multimodal tasks [04:32]. The episode challenges the conservative predictions of major think tanks, arguing that AI development is accelerating at a much faster pace than anticipated [05:04]. The host concludes by urging listeners to embrace these changes and become "first movers" in this AI-driven revolution, emphasizing the transformative impact on the job market and the opportunities that will arise for those who are prepared [08:28]. [Summary developed with the help of Gemini 2.5 Pro]
Harvard Kennedy School offers international students backup online and distance learning options - Emily Piper-Vallillo, WBUR
The Harvard Kennedy School this week announced backup plans for its international students in case the federal government prevents them from returning to Harvard or entering the U.S. All international students can complete coursework online while returning students also have the option to finish their studies at University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, the Kennedy School announced Tuesday. The public policy school, where 52% of enrolled students are international, is the first Harvard school to reveal such a contingency plan in the wake of the Trump administration’s sustained efforts to bar international students from enrolling at the university.
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.
Saturday, July 5, 2025
The Year of Quantum: From concept to reality in 2025 - McKinsey
When it comes to quantum technology (QT), investment is surging and breakthroughs are multiplying. The United Nations has designated 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, celebrating 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics. Our research confirms that QT is gaining widespread traction worldwide. McKinsey’s fourth annual Quantum Technology Monitor covers last year’s breakthroughs, investment trends, and emerging opportunities in this fast-evolving landscape. In 2024, the QT industry saw a shift from growing quantum bits (qubits) to stabilizing qubits—and that marks a turning point. It signals to mission-critical industries that QT could soon become a safe and reliable component of their technology infrastructure. To that end, this year’s report provides a special deep dive into the fast-growing market of quantum communication, which could unlock the security needed for widespread QT uptake.
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.
AI Could Actually Boost Your Workers’ Mental Health. Here’s How - Kit Eaton, Inc.
New research into AI’s impact on workers’ wellbeing offers a startling conclusion that refutes critics of the AI’s impact on the workplace, and counters recent reports suggesting the new technology is bad for people’s critical thinking abilities. Data from a large study suggest that though AI is relatively new, and the evidence is quite early, its use in the workplace hasn’t harmed people’s mental health or negatively affected their job satisfaction. Quite the opposite, in fact. The study found that letting your workers use AI may actually slightly benefit their health—particularly among less well-educated staff. The research, published this week, compared workers in occupations with high exposure to AI to those in less AI-exposed jobs, science news site Phys.org reports. There are a few wrinkles in the conclusions, and the authors explicitly warned that it’s very early to draw long-term conclusions about the impact of AI, but the results are definitely interesting food for thought for any company leader who’s been wary, thus far, of rolling out AI tools in the office or factory floor.
Friday, July 4, 2025
‘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']
How to Reduce Burnout Among Your Millennial Workers - Kit Eaton, Inc.
This means that even if your workplace is supportive of employee mental health, with great health insurance coverage and openness about issues like stress, you may not be able to address all the factors that contribute to burnout. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, though. Gen-Z may be leading a good example, Buck explained to HR Brew: Discussions about mental health are “really pushed by Gen-Z,” she explained—resonating with reports that show this age group is pushing back against some stressful workplace habits like fear-based leadership, or even shunning traditional career norms entirely. If you want to help your Millennial staff reduce burnout, it might be smart to learn from your youngest staff members.
One Provost’s Approach to Building an AI College - University of South Florida, University Business
Given latitude by Mohapatra to find the best model for the new college, the task force began work last spring and ultimately recommended a hub-and-spoke academic structure. The belief was this would eliminate silos and underscore the interdisciplinary nature of AI and cybersecurity, resulting in university-wide collaboration. It would also allow most of the 200-plus faculty currently working in areas that comprise the new college to remain in their home units. The question of governance was more challenging for the task force, which eventually landed on a flat structure that is similar to models currently used in other USF colleges. Flat governance would make it possible to add new programs in areas such as quantum computing and digital twins while promoting collaboration and quicker decision-making. In its recommendations, task force members wrote, “The relationship between AI, cybersecurity and computing reflects a rapidly evolving landscape where traditional departmental boundaries are increasingly blurred. These fields are deeply interconnected, with advancements in one area often propelling developments in others.”
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