Academics moving away from outright bans of AI, study finds - Jack Grove, Times Higher Ed

Academics are increasingly allowing artificial intelligence (AI) to be used for certain tasks rather than demanding outright bans, a study of more than 30,000 US courses has found. Analysing advice provided in class materials by a large public university in Texas over a five-year time frame, Igor Chirikov, an education researcher at University of California, Berkeley, found that highly restrictive policies introduced after the release of ChatGPT in late 2022 have eased across all disciplines except the arts and humanities. Using a large language model (LLM) to analyse 31,692 publicly available course syllabi between 2021 and 2025 – a task that would have taken 3,000 human hours with manual coding – Chirikov found academics had shifted towards more permissive use of AI by autumn 2025.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/academics-moving-away-outright-bans-ai-study-finds

Author Talks: How AI could redefine progress and potential - Zack Kass, McKinsey

In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing’s Yuval Atsmon chats with Zack Kass, former head of Go To Market at Open AI, about his new book, The Next Renaissance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential (Wiley, January 2026). Examining the parallels between the advent of AI and other renaissances, Kass offers a reframing of the AI debate. He suggests that the future of work is less about job loss and more about learning and adaptation. An edited version of the conversation follows.

https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-how-ai-could-redefine-progress-and-potential

Regional universities seek new ways to attract researchers - Fintan Burke, University World News

Even as Europe continues to attract researchers from abroad to work and study, those in its depopulating regions continue to deal with the effects of a declining regional population and, in some cases, have found ways to adapt. Last year, a study of scientists’ migration patterns showed which regions suffer most from depopulation. The Scholarly Migration Database was developed by a team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Germany. In general, it found that regions in Europe’s Nordic countries attract researchers, whereas those to the south see more scholars leave than arrive. There are some notable exceptions, though. For example, Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region has become a popular destination for scientists, seeing 7.47 scholars per 1,000 of the population arriving each year since 2017.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20260207115232355

Binghamton receives largest academic gift in University history to establish AI center - John Bhrel, Bing U

A record-setting $55 million commitment from a Binghamton University alumnus and New York state will establish the Center for AI Responsibility and Research, the first-ever independent AI research center at a public university in the U.S. Research conducted via the new center will build upon Binghamton research that advances AI for the public good. Part of the Empire AI project, an initiative to establish New York as a leader in responsible AI research and development, the center will be supported by a $30 million commitment from Tom Secunda ’76, MA ’79, co-founder of Bloomberg LP, who is a key private sector partner and philanthropist involved in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Empire AI consortium. This will be coupled with a $25 million capital investment from Gov. Hochul and the New York State Legislature. “The Center for AI Responsibility and Research will bring together innovative research and scholarship, ethical leadership and public engagement at a moment when all three are urgently needed,” said President Anne D’Alleva.

https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/6019/binghamton-receives-largest-academic-gift-in-university-history-to-establish-ai-center

Earn an HBCU Degree Online With New eHBCU Initiative - Jamie Jackson, the Black Chronicle

Students interested in earning an HBCU degree without relocating may soon have more options, as a new initiative expands online access to historically Black colleges and universities nationwide. eHBCU is a new consortium operating as a shared online learning platform designed to take HBCUs into the digital future. The initiative currently includes Delaware State University, Southern University and A&M College, Southern University at New Orleans, Southern University at Shreveport, Alabama State University and Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design. With financial support from Blue Meridian Partners and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the program offers access to more than 33 degree programs and certifications.

https://blackchronicle.com/national/earn-an-hbcu-degree-online-with-new-ehbcu-initiative/

Study of 31,000 syllabi probes ‘how instructors regulate AI’ - Nathan M Greenfield, University World News

Since the spring of 2023, after a reflexive move to drastically restrict the use of artificial intelligence tools in the months after ChatGPT became available, most academic disciplines have moved to a more permissive attitude toward the use of large language models (LLMs). This occurred as professors learnt to distinguish how AI tools impact student learning and skills development. The shift is charted by Dr Igor Chirikov, a senior researcher at the University of California (UC), Berkeley’s Center for Studies in Higher Education and director of the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium, in a study published on 3 February 2026 and titled “How Instructors Regulate AI in College: Evidence from 31,000 course syllabi”.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2026020317034193

Women or Men... Who Views Artificial Intelligence as More Dangerous? - SadaNews

Artificial intelligence is often presented as a revolution in productivity capable of boosting economic output, accelerating innovation, and reshaping the way work is done. However, a new study suggests that the public does not view the promises of artificial intelligence in the same way, and that attitudes towards this technology are strongly influenced by gender, especially when its effects on jobs are uncertain. The study concludes that women, compared to men, perceive artificial intelligence as more dangerous, and their support for the adoption of these technologies declines more steeply when the likelihood of net job gains decreases. Researchers warn that if women's specific concerns are not taken into account in artificial intelligence policies, particularly regarding labor market disruption and disparities in opportunities, it could deepen the existing gender gap and potentially provoke a political backlash against technology.

https://www.sadanews.ps/en/news/273959.html

Rethinking the role of higher education in an AI-integrated world - Mark Daley, University Affairs

A peculiar quiet has settled over higher education, the sort that arrives when everyone is speaking at once. We have, by now, produced a small library of earnest memos on “AI in the classroom”: academic integrity, assessment redesign and the general worry that students will use chatbots to avoid thinking. Our institutions have been doing the sensible things: guidance documents, pilot projects, professional development, conversations that oscillate between curiosity and fatigue. Much ink has been spilled on these topics, many human-hours of meetings invested, and strategic plans written. All of this is necessary. It is also, perhaps, insufficient. What if the core challenge to us is not that students can outsource an essay, but that expertise itself (the scarce, expensive thing universities have historically concentrated, credentialled, and sold back to society) may become cheap, abundant, and uncomfortably good. 

https://universityaffairs.ca/opinion/rethinking-the-role-of-higher-education-in-an-ai-integrated-world/

ChatGPT is in classrooms. How should educators now assess student learning? - Sarah Elaine Eaton, et al; the Conversation

Our recent qualitative study with 28 educators across Canadian universities and colleges—from librarians to engineering professors—suggests that we have entered a watershed moment in education. We must grapple with the question: What exactly should be assessed when human cognition can be augmented or simulated by an algorithm? Participants widely viewed prompting—the ability to formulate clear and purposeful instructions for a chatbot—as a skill they could assess. Effective prompting requires students to break down tasks, understand concepts and communicate precisely. Several noted that unclear prompts often produce poor outputs, forcing students to reflect on what they are really asking. Prompting was considered ethical only when used transparently, drawing on one's own foundational knowledge. Without these conditions, educators feared prompting may drift into overreliance or uncritical use of AI.

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-chatgpt-classrooms-student.html

Google’s AI Tools Explained (Gemini, Photos, Gmail, Android & More) | Complete Guide - BitBiasedAI, YouTube

This podcast provides a comprehensive overview of how Google has integrated Gemini-powered AI across its entire ecosystem, highlighting tools for productivity, creativity, and daily navigation. It details advancements in Gemini as a conversational assistant, the generative editing capabilities in Google Photos like Magic Eraser and Magic Editor, and time-saving features in Gmail and Docs such as email summarization and "Help Me Write." Additionally, the guide covers mobile-specific innovations like Circle to Search on Android, AI-enhanced navigation in Google Maps, and real-time translation tools, framing these developments as a cohesive shift toward more intuitive and context-aware technology for everyday users. (Summary assisted by Gemini 3 Pro Fast)

https://youtu.be/ro6BxryR0Yo?si=EAg-zAPcKFm618up&t=1

HUSKY: Humanoid Skateboarding System via Physics-Aware Whole-Body Control - Jinrui Han, et al; arXiv

While current humanoid whole-body control frameworks predominantly rely on the static environment assumptions, addressing tasks characterized by high dynamism and complex interactions presents a formidable challenge. In this paper, we address humanoid skateboarding, a highly challenging task requiring stable dynamic maneuvering on an underactuated wheeled platform. This integrated system is governed by non-holonomic constraints and tightly coupled human-object interactions. Successfully executing this task requires simultaneous mastery of hybrid contact dynamics and robust balance control on a mechanically coupled, dynamically unstable skateboard.

https://husky-humanoid.github.io/

Leaked plan proposes 10,000-student virtual school - Yael Rasonik, Queens University Journal

The document proposes that 10,000 students would attend this completely virtual school, which would offer micro-credentials and other “life-long learning opportunities.” A report outlining the alignment between the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS) and the Bicentennial Vision clarifies that the development of such a school isn’t explicit in the Bicentennial Vision as to allow for “operational flexibility in the context of implementing this goal.” In an interview Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane gave The Journal last week, he explained the idea for SPACE first emerged in 2024, out of a recognition that the University needed additional means of generating revenue in order to supplement its full credit offerings, and that lifelong learning was becoming an increasingly popular social trend.

https://www.queensjournal.ca/leaked-plan-proposes-10000-student-virtual-school/

Professors Are Being Watched: ‘We’ve Never Seen This Much Surveillance’ - Vimal Patel, NY Times

Scrutiny of university classrooms is being formalized, with new laws requiring professors to post syllabuses and tip lines for students to complain. In Oklahoma, a student disputed an instructor’s grading decision, drawing the notice of a conservative campus group, Turning Point USA, that has long posted the names of professors criticized for bringing liberal politics into their classrooms. The instructor was removed. In Texas, a student recorded a classroom lesson on gender identity that led to viral outrage and the instructor’s firing. Now, Texas has set up an office to take other complaints about colleges and professors. And  several states, including Texas, Ohio and Florida, have created laws requiring professors to publicly post their course outlines in searchable databases.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/us/professors-classroom-surveillance-politics.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KVA.vWnW.QkF-jHrQUwEW&smid=nytcore-android-share 

Moltbook Mania Exposed - Kevin Roose and Casey Newton, New York Times

A Reddit-style web forum for A.I. agents has captured the attention of the tech world. According to the site, called Moltbook, more than 1.5 million agents have contributed to over 150,000 posts, making it the largest experiment to date of what happens when A.I. agents interact with each other. We discuss our favorite posts, how we’re thinking about the question of what is “real” on the site, and where we expect agents to go from here. 

Moltbook Mania Explained https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/podcasts/moltbook-mania-explained.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KVA.8BDv._Tldrk4R75oQ&smid=nytcore-android-share 

Fewer students of color are now enrolling in elite colleges - Matt Zalaznick, Distsrict Administration

Enrollment of students of color has declined “significantly” at elite institutions but has risen “almost everywhere else,” says a new analysis of the impact of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that ended affirmative action in higher ed admissions. The biggest drops occurred at Ivy Plus schools, a group that includes Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago. Here are some other findings from the Class Action report: Total enrollment and Black enrollment declined at historically Black colleges and universities. Hispanic enrollment increased at more selective institutions that did practice legacy preferences and declined at those that did. The number and share of white and Asian American freshmen remained flat, although there was a slight uptick for Asian American first-year students at Ivy Plus schools.

https://districtadministration.com/article/fewer-students-of-color-enroll-in-elite-schools-post-affirmative-action/

The Only Thing Standing Between Humanity and AI Apocalypse Is … Claude? - Steven Levy, Wired

Anthropic is locked in a paradox: Among the top AI companies, it’s the most obsessed with safety and leads the pack in researching how models can go wrong. But even though the safety issues it has identified are far from resolved, Anthropic is pushing just as aggressively as its rivals toward the next, potentially more dangerous, level of artificial intelligence. Its core mission is figuring out how to resolve that contradiction. OpenAI and Anthropic are perusing the same thing: NGI (Natural General Intelligence). NGI is AI that is sentient and self aware. The difference is the Anthropic seeking NGI with guardrails (known as "alignment" or as Anthropic calls it "Constitutional AI").  Their fear is that without alignment, NGI might decide that humanity and all resources on Earth would be needed to achieve whatever task it was designed to solve. And once it is sentient, that would happen too quickly for humanity to pull its plug. So, Anthropic wants alignment. The real question is could they ever achieve NGI?

https://www.wired.com/story/the-only-thing-standing-between-humanity-and-ai-apocalypse-is-claude/

Coursera, Udemy Merger to Boost Online AI Education - Greg Hart, Bloomberg Businessweek Daily

Greg Hart, President and CEO of Coursera, joins Bloomberg Businessweek Daily to discuss the firm's plans to merge with fellow online learning platform Udemy. Hart says he will remain CEO of the newly merged company as it continues to focus on providing AI-focused training tools and courses for its customers. He speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2026-02-07/coursera-udemy-merger-to-boost-online-ai-education-video

Online learning offered for Indigenous languages - Maggie Macintosh, Winnepeg Free Press

Inner-city students and their families are getting more options and flexibility to study Indigenous languages. The Winnipeg School Division is testing out a new model to reach more residents with its free evening classes this winter. “After COVID, we said, ‘If teaching online worked, why not try this?’” said Rob Riel, assistant superintendent of Indigenous education. “We’re finally getting around to it.” Indigenous language teachers have moved around to different schools in the past to run a series of beginner, in-person lessons for community members of all kinds. This term, live lessons — both in Ininiw (Cree) and Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwa) — will be broadcast to schools and anyone who wants to tune in from home.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/02/07/online-learning-offered-for-indigenous-languages

Working with AI: Measuring the Applicability of Generative AI to Occupations Kiran Tomlinson , Sonia Jaffe , Will Wang , Scott Counts , Siddharth Suri, Microsoft

Given the rapid adoption of generative AI and its potential to impact a wide range of tasks, understanding the effects of AI on the economy is one of society’s most important questions. In this work, we take a step toward that goal by analyzing the work activities people do with AI, how successfully and broadly those activities are done, and combine that with data on what occupations do those activities. We analyze a dataset of 200k anonymized and privacy-scrubbed conversations between users and Microsoft Bing Copilot, a publicly available generative AI system. We find the most common work activities people seek AI assistance for involve gathering information and writing, while the most common activities that AI itself is performing are providing information and assistance, writing, teaching, and advising.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/working-with-ai-measuring-the-occupational-implications-of-generative-ai/

Online learning program allows inmates to earn certificate - Natalie Sopyla, Spectrum News 1

Just a few months ago, Jordan Richmond was an inmate at the Dane County Jail. “I had some unfortunate circumstances where I made bad choices,” Richmond said. He vowed to turn his life around. That’s what he’s continuing to do now that he’s out and living in transitional housing. Richmond was among one of the first seven people at the Dane County Jail to complete an online learning program known as eCornell. “I went back to class after I got out of jail,” Richmond said. “That's how much I enjoyed the program and how important it was to me.” Cornell University is the ivy league school behind eCornell. It offers more than 200 online certificate programs in things like Human Resources, Accounting and Food and Beverage Management.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2026/01/22/online-learning-program-allows-inmates-to-earn-certificate

AI-powered search is changing how students choose colleges - Michelle Centamore, University Business

Students are turning to AI tools and AI-enhanced Google searches to explore colleges, pushing them to rethink how they recruit and enroll prospective students, according to EducationDynamics’ 2026 Marketing and Enrollment Management Benchmarks. Marketing and enrollment management have reached a “point of no return,” the report says, as students now do much of their research before ever contacting a college. The report also warns the traditional enrollment base has peaked, making reliance on traditional recruitment channels “the most dangerous strategy an institution can adopt.”

https://universitybusiness.com/students-can-now-do-much-of-their-research-using-ai-before-contacting-a-college/