A look at the technology trends that matter most - McKinsey Podcast

A look at the technology trends that matter most - McKinsey Podcast

Gen AI as an Influencer: Lareina Yee: What is interesting is how gen AI is a catalyst. We think of it as sunshine that lights up many of the trends. Some of it is good, old-fashioned analytical AI, machine learning. We see increases in interest and investment in those arenas, and we certainly see very interesting deployments. I’ve heard more about digital twins anecdotally recently than I have in the past couple of years. But also, there are impacts into other trends. The capabilities in gen AI are very relevant for robotics, which is one of the trends that we highlight this year.

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/a-look-at-the-technology-trends-that-matter-most

CENTRAL VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE students can earn micro credentials with new membership - Rodney Robinson, News Advance

Current and future students at Central Virginia Community College will now have the opportunity to earn micro, embedded industry-recognized credentials to go along with their program studies. This opportunity comes after the college’s recent membership with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) making CVCC a “Leadership School.” NC3 is a network of education providers and corporations with a mission to help build a workforce prepared to meet the needs of industries. The network connects employers and educational institutions to foster training and employment opportunities, according to its website.

https://newsadvance.com/news/local/cvcc-students-can-earn-micro-credentials-with-new-membership/article_9cd1e5d6-6fb5-11ef-8d77-238e76be0f70.html

Effective Leadership Is Actually Quite Simple, Unless You Ignore These 2 Things - Larry Robertson, Inc.

Perhaps nowhere has this lesson been as striking as with senior leaders at U.S. universities. No doubt, running an institute of higher education is challenging these days, in ways both familiar and new. Among the familiar challenges, traditional brick-and-mortar universities competing in the knowledge-share landscape face very real competition from now countless alternative sources of remote and digital learning. Today, degrees and certifications can be had in hours, not years. And while one can argue over the value, it's hard to argue over the growth in customers and revenue among these alternatives, and the radically lower investment costs for both the content producers and the customers.

https://www.inc.com/larry-robertson/effective-leadership-is-quite-simple-unless-you-ignore-these-2-things.html

9 in 10 online learners experience positive ROI from degree program - Jessica Bryant Stacker, The Olympian

In 2024, 93% of surveyed students told BestColleges their online degree has or will have a positive return on investment (ROI). The percentage of online learners who say this has increased by five percentage points since 2019. More than 8 in 10 online students (81%) also say that online education is better than or equal to on-campus learning. Further, 97% say they would recommend online education to others.Despite online education being perceived as more affordable than in-person instruction, 48% of online learners say tuition costs and program fees were one of the biggest challenges to enrolling.

https://www.theolympian.com/news/business/article292237770.html

Success Program Launch: AI-Supported Clinical Training - Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed

Touro University in New York utilizes digital learning tools to provide simulation experiences for social work students taking classes online, helping build their soft skills for working with people. The practicum is a critical piece of experiential learning for students entering health-care fields as they learn to navigate interacting with patients and providing professional care. At Touro University in New York, online learners in the master of social work program can practice before working with real patients thanks to a new generative artificial intelligence pilot. The AI program is embedded in students’ courses, allowing them personalized and immediate feedback on their performance without the pressure of impacting patient care. The software also provides instructors with data on class performance and skills.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/life-after-college/2024/09/10/creating-ai-simulations-graduate-social-work

Budget cuts begin to surface at California State University - Amy Dipierro, EdSource

Faculty, staff and students at four campuses in the Cal State system said they’re starting to feel the impact of belt-tightening in the early weeks of the 2024-25 school year, saying this fall has brought heavier workloads, larger class sizes and fewer course options. University officials at select campuses acknowledged plans to reduce costs this school year. They said they’ve opened additional course sections where there’s demand and remain committed to supporting students so that they’re on track to graduate, even as they reel in budgets to match shrinking student enrollment on some campuses. 

Cal State system officials said in July that the system could experience a $1 billion budget gap in the 2025-26 school year, a forecast driven by uncertain state funding, enrollment declines and rising costs. 

https://edsource.org/2024/budget-cuts-begin-to-surface-at-california-state-university/718699

Yale's $150 million, five-year AI investment is about 'shaping the future' - Brian Zahn, New Haven Register

Yale University's announcement last week that it would invest $150 million in the development of artificial intelligence programs over five years was met with praise from higher education officials within and outside of the Yale community. In an Aug. 28 letter to the Yale community, Yale Provost Scott Strobel said the investment follows a report from the Yale Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and will be allocated to fulfill four main goals: building 450 graphics processing units on a staggered basis to allow researchers to process large data sets and conduct advanced simulations; launching a proprietary generative AI platform called Clarity; recruiting "more than twenty" faculty members with an academic focus on AI technology and piloting curriculum review grants; and promoting collaboration and innovation between departments.

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/yale-150-million-5-year-ai-investment-shaping-19747105.php

Here are the top college majors for earning a six-figure salary with a two-year associate degree - Sara Bregel, Fast Company

A new report from salary data provider Payscale looked at the education and employment history of 3.1 million college graduates. From the data, it ranked schools and majors based on the potential future salaries for graduates. According to the 2024 report, it aims to help students research schools, majors, and potential salaries before enrolling. “You can use this information to help you discover which fields of study offer the most income potential, as well as which are more transferable to different career paths,” the report reads.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91185526/5-highest-paying-school-college-majors-associates-degree

Wittenberg cuts employee jobs; will end music, language programs, some sports - Eileen McClory and Jessica Orozco, Springfield News Sun

Wittenberg University’s campus saw turmoil Friday, as several faculty members found out late in the afternoon that their contracts would not be renewed after this year, and some students learned their academic programs would be folded. 

* The school’s academic major programs in music, music education, German, Spanish, East Asian studies are being eliminated after this school year, along with the minor in Chinese.

* No further declarations of major will be allowed in international business and international studies until further notice “as the Provost and faculty work to see if and how they can be reimagined.”

* This school year will be the final seasons for the men’s and women’s tennis teams and women’s bowling team.

https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/wittenberg-says-employee-cuts-will-be-slightly-smaller-than-stated-earlier/HRGGX67UZZBSVNTMFNTWQI2F2U/

5 Unusual Habits That Indicate a High Level of Intelligence - Holly Burns, New Trader U

We often equate intelligence with academic prowess, impressive degrees, or mastery of complex subjects. However, intelligence is a multifaceted quality that shows up in unexpected ways. Recent studies have uncovered fascinating links between quirky habits and high cognitive ability. Let’s explore five of these surprising habits and what they might reveal about the workings of a brilliant mind.

https://www.newtraderu.com/2024/09/03/5-unusual-habits-that-indicate-a-high-level-of-intelligence/

Why agents are the next frontier of generative AI - McKinsey Quarterly

We are beginning an evolution from knowledge-based, gen-AI-powered tools—say, chatbots that answer questions and generate content—to gen AI–enabled “agents” that use foundation models to execute complex, multistep workflows across a digital world. In short, the technology is moving from thought to action. Broadly speaking, “agentic” systems refer to digital systems that can independently interact in a dynamic world. While versions of these software systems have existed for years, the natural-language capabilities of gen AI unveil new possibilities, enabling systems that can plan their actions, use online tools to complete those tasks, collaborate with other agents and people, and learn to improve their performance. Gen AI agents eventually could act as skilled virtual coworkers, working with humans in a seamless and natural manner.

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/why-agents-are-the-next-frontier-of-generative-ai

KU English professors awarded NEH grant for 2025 AI, digital literacy institute - Kathryn Conrad, University of Kansas

Two University of Kansas researchers have been awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to teach critical artificial intelligence literacy to secondary and higher education humanities instructors. Kathryn Conrad and Sean Kamperman received an NEH Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities grant for $218,732 to fund their project, AI & Digital Literacy: Toward an Inclusive and Empowering Teaching Practice, an in-person institute administered in partnership with the National Humanities Center, in June 2025. KU is one of only four institutions to receive this highly competitive grant in 2024.

https://news.ku.edu/news/article/ku-english-professors-awarded-neh-grant-for-2025-ai-digital-literacy-institute

Western Governors University, Aera Bring AI to Student Support Services - Abby Sourwine, GovTeech

Western Governor’s University (WGU) announced last week that it will use the Aera Decision Cloud to assist with student support. The platform will sort through academic activity data at the entirely online institution and use it to recommend courses of action to assist students in need. “With nearly 1.1 million online students in the U.S. and retention rates 20 percent lower for online and adult learners across the higher-ed landscape, there’s a clear opportunity to improve outcomes,” Joe Dery, vice president and dean of WGU’s School of Technology, wrote in an email to Government Technology. “We know that timely outreach can significantly enhance student persistence, and by evolving our approach, we can better deliver this support at scale within our flexible education model.”

https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/western-governors-university-aera-bring-ai-to-student-support-services

Is AI Making Degrees Useless? The White-Collar Apocalypse - Julie McCoy, Youtube

White-collar jobs are susceptible to AI automation because of the routine cognitive tasks, data analysis, and language-based tasks. Among the jobs  that are at risk of automation, include financial analysts, accountants, paralegals, legal researchers, journalists, and content creators. Even middle management jobs involving routine decision-making and data analysis are susceptible to automation. AI is advancing in its ability to replicate human reasoning and behavior. McCoy mentions a CEO predicting a future with 10 billion robots in people's homes.The best way to prepare for the future is to develop skills that complement AI, such as emotional intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving skills. The future belongs to those who can collaborate with AI and use it to their advantage. (GenAI assisted with summary)

https://youtu.be/ewuYYvFBdpI?feature=shared

Microsoft is turning to AI to make its workplace more inclusive - Samantha Kelly, BBC

Microsoft says AI can be a tool to promote equity and representation – with the right safeguards. One solution it's putting forward to help address the issue of bias in AI is increasing diversity and inclusion of the teams building the technology itself.  "It's never been more important as we think about building inclusive AI and inclusive tech for the future," says Lindsay-Rae McIntyre, Microsoft's chief diversity officer, who joined the firm in 2018. A former teacher for the deaf, McIntyre has spent over 20 years in human resources in the tech industry, including at IBM, and has lived and worked throughout the US as well as in Singapore and Dubai. Now, she says her team at Microsoft is increasingly focused on embedding inclusion practices into the firm's AI research and development to make sure there is better representation "at all levels of the company".

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240905-microsoft-ai-interview-bbc-executive-lounge

OpenAI o1 CRUSHES PHD Level Experts! [HIDDEN THOUGHTS] - Wes Roth, YouTube

• O1 can produce a long internal chain of thought before responding to the user.
• O1 ranks in the 89th percentile on competitive programming questions.
• O1 places among the top 500 students in the US and qualifies for the US Math Olympiad.
• O1 exceeds human PhD level accuracy on a benchmark of physics, biology and chemistry problems.
• O1 is still under development, and the creators are not currently releasing the chain of thought to users.

The video concludes by discussing the ethical implications of AI models that can reason and solve problems at such a high level. The fact that O1 hides its chain of thought is a concern, as it makes it difficult to understand how the model arrives at its answers. (this posting completed with GenAI assistance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_3ww-kICiM

Adult online learners are money-motivated. Are your programs supporting their career goals? - Alcino Donadel, University Business

Online programs are gaining as much—if not more—clout than colleges’ and universities’ on-campus offerings, and a new report from Risepoint shows this can’t be more true for adult learners and first-generation students. Of the 3,460 people surveyed who are seeking to enroll, currently enrolled or have graduated from an online program within the last 12 months, 90% believe the quality of an online degree is comparable to or better than an on-campus diploma. The mean age of survey respondents was 38, and Risepoint found a “significant portion” were also first-generation, which, in last year’s report, made up one-third of all respondents.

https://universitybusiness.com/report-adult-online-learners-are-money-motivated-are-your-programs-supporting-their-career-goals/

U of A slashes more than $100 million of budget shortfall - Eric Fink, News 4 Tucson

University of Arizona leadership revealed, Thursday, the university currently has a budget deficit of $63 million. That's down from the $177 million shortfall that was projected in January of this year. The university maintains it slashed $114 million of deficit without academics seeing drastic cuts. "The highest percentage of reductions came on the administrative side," UA spokesman Mitch Zak said. "Really, the priority from day one was to protect our workforce, our tremendous faculty, staff and student leaders who are working on campus because that is the backbone of the university."

https://www.kvoa.com/news/u-of-a-slashes-more-than-100-million-of-budget-shortfall/article_5643200a-6bee-11ef-aa7c-5761a76e92e4.html

AI Is Already Advancing Higher Education - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

Generative AI (GenAI) has enormous potential to advance, enhance and expand higher education in the future. Few realize how AI already is improving what we do today in myriad ways. Let me begin by noting that I have used GenAI tools to assist in ideation and the search for the best examples in writing this edition of “Online: Trending Now.” As always, I strive to embed sources in all cases where readers may want to dig deeper into my assertions. GenAI has assisted me in identifying such resources. In nearly all aspects of the operation of colleges and universities GenAI is playing an increasing role. From student learning to faculty efficiency to administrative insights, we see that role has become part of the standard operating practices. We are using the tools to advance our work in the most enlightened and efficient way. Here are some examples.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blogs/online-trending-now/2024/09/10/ai-already-advancing-higher-education

Altman Infrastructure Plan Aims to Spend Tens of Billions in US - Shirin Ghaffary and Mackenzie Hawkins, Bloomberg

OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman’s plans for a massive buildout of the machinery and systems needed for artificial intelligence are coming into clearer focus, beginning with an effort in US states slated to costs tens of billions of dollars, according to a person familiar with the matter. Altman had spent the early part of the year seeking the US government’s blessing for the project, which aims to form a coalition of global investors to fund the costly physical infrastructure needed to support rapid AI development, Bloomberg reported in February. Now, Altman and his team are working on several details that haven’t previously been reported, including the plan to first target US states.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-03/altman-infrastructure-plan-aims-to-spend-tens-of-billions-in-us

Too Few Middle-Skills Credentials to Meet Future Job Demand - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed

Anew report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that colleges and other credential providers aren’t producing enough credentials that lead to well-paying, middle-skills jobs to satisfy employer demand in many metro areas across the country. The report, published today, defines high-paying middle-skills jobs as those that require an associate degree or credential, but not a bachelor’s degree, and in which more than half of early-career workers earn at least $53,000 per year. Such jobs span a wide range, from firefighters to software developers to radiologic technicians. The report found that out of 343 credential providers, 311 of them, or 91 percent, would need to more than double the number of credentials they award in such fields to avoid local shortages in the future. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/alternative-credentials/2024/09/05/too-few-middle-skills-credentials-meet