News/Education
New Mexico schools now use AI to track student absenteeism
New Mexico school districts are implementing AI-powered attendance tracking software to address chronic absenteeism, with four districts piloting the technology to automate parent notifications and improve student attendance rates. Current implementation status: The AI platform, developed by San Francisco-based Edia, is being tested in Farmington, Raton, Carlsbad, and Hobbs school districts. Farmington Municipal Schools launched the program in November across three high schools, covering approximately 3,400 students Initial results show improved attendance rates and increased parent response rates The system replaces traditional attendance tracking methods and robocalls with an AI chatbot that communicates directly with parents How the technology works:...
read Jan 10, 2025Alignment Mapping pilot program tries to foster independent thinking in AI safety research
The Alignment Mapping Program (AMP) launched in 2023 to develop independent thinking skills among AI safety researchers through an intensive 8-week curriculum. Program overview and mission: AMP bridges the gap between foundational AI safety courses and advanced research programs by emphasizing active construction of mental models rather than passive learning. The program targets a critical need in AI safety education: developing researchers who can critically evaluate existing frameworks and generate novel approaches AMP's curriculum focuses on having participants build their own comprehensive maps of the AI alignment problem space The program ran five cohorts in 2024 with approximately 25 total participants...
read Jan 9, 2025AI revolutionizes university archives by uncovering historical insights and preserving the past
A rise in artificial intelligence adoption is changing how universities handle archival practices, with new tools enabling faster document processing while raising concerns about data accuracy and permissions. Current landscape: Universities serve as crucial repositories for historical documents, research papers, and increasingly, digital content like websites and social media posts. Traditional archival work remains largely manual, including document scanning and metadata entry Most new university materials are created in digital formats like PDFs Many institutions face backlogs in converting analog materials to digital formats AI's role in paper archives: Artificial intelligence technologies are demonstrating significant capabilities in processing historical documents...
read Jan 9, 2025Gates Foundation funds national initiative to improve schools’ AI readiness
Program Overview: The Consortium for School Networking will implement a nationwide training initiative, funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to help school districts assess and improve their AI readiness. The program will utilize a "train-the-trainer" model to teach district teams how to evaluate their AI preparedness using the K-12 Gen AI Maturity Tool Training will begin with 10-20 people at the national level, followed by four regional training sessions Regional trainers will then provide ongoing support to local districts, with particular focus on under-resourced and rural areas Assessment Framework: The K-12 Gen AI Maturity Tool, launched jointly by...
read Jan 6, 2025AI teaching copilot MathGPT thinks it can fix the nation’s declining test score problem
Math education innovator Peter Relan's company GotIt! Education has launched MathGPT, an AI-powered teaching assistant designed to provide personalized math support for college students while reducing educators' workload. The context: California's education system faces significant challenges with math proficiency, as only 35% of K-12 students meet or exceed state standards, while recent legislation restricts remedial math courses in community colleges. Recent test scores show students are nearly 48 points below the math standard for college readiness Assembly Bill 1705 limits remedial math courses in community colleges, raising concerns about student success Educators worry that placing students directly into advanced courses...
read Jan 4, 2025How AI is enabling cybercriminals to rob public schools
A school district recently fell victim to a sophisticated phishing attack where cybercriminals used AI to gather and weaponize publicly available information, leading to the theft of funds intended for a construction vendor. The current threat landscape: AI tools are enabling cybercriminals to create more convincing phishing attacks against schools by automatically collecting and analyzing public information from district websites and documents. Bad actors can now launch more sophisticated attacks with fewer detectable errors by using AI to process information from school board minutes, budget reports, and other public documents The combination of AI tools and abundant public information makes...
read Jan 2, 2025UTSA unveils plans for new AI and cybersecurity college
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has announced plans to launch its new College of AI, Cyber and Computing in fall 2025, bringing together artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science programs under one administrative structure. Key details of the initiative: UTSA's new college represents a strategic move to integrate emerging technologies and expand its existing School of Data Science programs. The college is expected to enroll more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students A national search for the founding dean will begin in January 2024 The college will be located at UTSA's Downtown Campus in the San Pedro...
read Jan 1, 2025This new AI tool will help you become a smarter debater
Product Overview: Debate AI is a new AI-powered platform designed to help students, professionals, and debate enthusiasts practice and improve their debate skills outside of traditional settings. Core Value Proposition: The platform addresses a specific gap in debate education by providing accessible practice tools that can be used independently. Created by a former high school debate team president who identified students' challenges in finding effective ways to practice outside of school hours Aims to make debate practice more accessible and convenient for users Initial Reception: The platform has garnered positive early feedback from the Product Hunt user community. Achieved a...
read Dec 26, 2024Plan to learn a new language in 2025? This new AI tool will make it fun and easy
EasyLang AI is, a new language learning platform that leverages artificial intelligence to create personalized language lessons with visual aids. Product Overview; EasyLang AI aims to streamline language acquisition through AI-powered personalization and contextual learning methods. The platform delivers bite-sized language lessons tailored to the user's native language Lessons incorporate AI-generated visuals designed to improve retention and serve as reference materials Users can generate custom lessons based on their preferred videos and content Technical Implementation; The platform combines several AI capabilities to deliver its core functionality. The system creates personalized learning paths adapted to each user's native language AI technology...
read Dec 25, 2024MIT’s new college breaks the interdisciplinary divide, integrates AI across everything
Microsoft's Schwarzman College of Computing is redefining how computing and artificial intelligence education is integrated across academic disciplines at one of the world's leading technical institutions. The core mission; The college, which launched in 2019-2020, aims to make all MIT students "computing bilinguals" by embedding advanced computing and AI education throughout the university's five schools. The initiative represents a fundamental shift in how computing is taught, moving beyond traditional computer science departments to integrate technical skills across all majors The college has already sponsored more than 12 new interdisciplinary computing courses A major focus is the "Common Ground for Computer...
read Dec 24, 2024Pennsylvania school’s new AI weapons detectors show early signs of progress
The introduction of AI-powered weapons detection systems at Upper Darby School District in Pennsylvania marks a significant shift in school security measures, following incidents involving firearms earlier in the school year. Initial implementation and results: The district deployed Evolv weapons detection systems this week for 6,000 students across its high school and middle schools, already yielding notable security finds. On the first day, the system helped identify a student carrying brass knuckles and a knife, despite being primarily designed to detect firearms The detection system was implemented after a loaded gun and an AR-style magazine were discovered at the high...
read Dec 21, 2024Arizona school to replace teachers with AI that adapts to individual students
The integration of artificial intelligence into education has taken a controversial leap forward with the approval of a new virtual academy in Arizona that plans to replace human teachers with AI systems. Key development: Arizona's State Board for Charter Schools has approved Unbound School, a virtual academy that will primarily use AI instead of human teachers to instruct students in grades four through eight. The school is part of a network of charter schools operating under the name Alpha School in Texas and Florida Using their "2 Hour Learning" model, the school claims it can teach children at twice the...
read Dec 20, 2024Federal AI support for education urged in new House report
The use of artificial intelligence in U.S. education faces a critical juncture as congressional leaders evaluate how federal support could enhance AI literacy and STEM education in schools nationwide. Key findings and recommendations: The House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence has produced a comprehensive 253-page report addressing the integration of AI across 15 different sectors, with significant emphasis on education reform. The 24-member bipartisan task force, established by House leadership in February, focuses on advancing responsible AI development and implementation The report specifically calls for increased federal funding for teacher professional development in AI Recommendations include streamlining the process for...
read Dec 20, 2024IBM’s new 10-hour AI course may be a big resume booster — and it’s free
IBM's new free AI Fundamentals credential program offers professionals a concise yet comprehensive introduction to artificial intelligence fundamentals, providing a valuable opportunity to enhance their resume with an industry-recognized certification. Program Overview: IBM's SkillsBuild learning portal hosts a 10-hour certification program consisting of six courses that cover essential aspects of artificial intelligence technology and applications. The program is completely free and accessible through IBM's SkillsBuild platform Upon completion, participants receive an official certificate that can be showcased on LinkedIn The curriculum is designed to be vendor-agnostic, with only one course specifically focused on IBM's Watson Studio Course Structure and Content:...
read Dec 19, 2024Perplexity’s 2025 AI college program is closing soon — here’s how to sign up
The Perplexity Campus Strategist program offers college students an opportunity to gain practical experience in AI while working with one of the industry's leading companies. Program overview: Perplexity's 2025 Campus Strategist initiative is accepting applications through December 28, 2024, offering students a chance to engage with AI technology and industry leadership. The free program provides monthly virtual meetings with Perplexity's leadership team Participants gain experience in creating and executing campus marketing campaigns Students receive a complimentary Perplexity Pro account and early access to new features Top-performing strategists earn a trip to Perplexity's San Francisco headquarters Eligibility requirements: Perplexity has established...
read Dec 18, 2024Google and Rutgers partner on AI tools for business students
Rutgers Business School has partnered with Google to enhance its curriculum and provide students with cutting-edge AI tools. Strategic partnership details: Rutgers Business School has formed an alliance with Google Public Sector to incorporate generative AI tools into its educational programs. Students and faculty will gain access to Google Cloud AI's extensive suite of over 150 AI and machine learning models The platform includes prominent AI models such as Meta's Llama, Anthropic's Claude, and Google's Gemini Google has committed to not using information entered into the cloud for model training purposes Current implementation: Rutgers has already begun integrating AI into...
read Dec 17, 2024Universities go beyond AI detection to fundamentally rethinking programs
Artificial Intelligence is creating new challenges for both students and educators as they grapple with tools like ChatGPT in coursework and assignments. Current state of AI usage in universities: The academic landscape is experiencing unprecedented change as more than half of students now incorporate generative AI into their assessments, with approximately 5% explicitly acknowledging its use for cheating. Detection tools like Turnitin are proving unreliable in accurately identifying AI-generated content, sometimes falsely flagging legitimate student work Non-native English speakers face additional scrutiny due to the limitations of these detection systems The widespread availability of AI tools has created an atmosphere...
read Dec 17, 2024MIT’s NEET program bridges disciplines for 21st-century engineers
MIT's New Engineering Education Transformation (NEET) program demonstrates how interdisciplinary education is shaping the next generation of scientists and engineers through its innovative cross-departmental approach. Program Structure and Innovation: NEET represents a pioneering educational model at MIT that breaks down traditional departmental barriers by offering four specialized threads: Autonomous Machines, Climate and Sustainability Systems, Digital Cities, and Living Machines. The program enables students to pursue deep expertise while maintaining breadth across multiple engineering disciplines. Students can combine traditionally separate fields, such as biological engineering and artificial intelligence, in ways that reflect real-world technological convergence. Each thread provides a structured pathway...
read Dec 14, 2024LA teens leverage tech for innovative business pitches
The Los Angeles County school system is fostering youth entrepreneurship through an innovative after-school program that combines technology education with business development skills. Program overview: The Young Innovators Accelerator Pitch Competition culminated last week, showcasing business plans developed by students at six Best Buy Teen Tech Centers across Los Angeles County. Over 60 high school students participated in the after-school program, with twelve advancing to the final pitch competition The program operates in under-resourced neighborhoods through partnerships with nonprofits Funding comes from multiple sources including the Best Buy Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, and the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation (GLAEF) Educational...
read Dec 14, 2024OpenAI-backed language tutor startup hits $1B valuation
The use of artificial intelligence in language education continues to attract significant investment, as demonstrated by the recent success of AI language learning startup Speak. Major funding milestone: Language learning startup Speak has secured $78 million in its latest funding round, pushing its valuation to $1 billion and marking a significant achievement in the AI education technology sector. The funding round was led by venture capital firm Accel, with participation from previous investors including the OpenAI Startup Fund, Khosla Ventures, and Y Combinator This latest investment brings Speak's total funding to $162 million The company's valuation has doubled in just...
read Dec 11, 2024Georgia State launches AI literacy initiative for underserved students
A new partnership between Georgia State University and Operation HOPE aims to address the technology skills gap in underserved communities. Program Overview: The AI Literacy Pipeline to Prosperity Project represents a comprehensive initiative to provide artificial intelligence education from kindergarten through college, with a specific focus on south Atlanta's underserved communities. The program emerges from Operation HOPE's AI Ethics Council, jointly led by Operation HOPE founder John Hope Bryant and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Georgia State University will collaborate with multiple educational institutions, including Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Georgia Tech Atlanta Public Schools and the mayor's office have...
read Dec 11, 2024KPMG outlines the optimal way to approach AI in higher ed
Higher education institutions are rapidly evolving their stance on generative artificial intelligence, shifting from viewing it as a potential threat to embracing it as a strategic tool, according to insights from KPMG consultants. Key categorization framework: KPMG experts David Gagnon and Saravanan Subbarayan have identified four distinct approaches that higher education institutions take when integrating AI into their operations. Trailblazers make substantial technology investments and lead the way in AI adoption, helping guide peer institutions Synergists form the largest group, working collaboratively with other institutions to share resources and develop joint strategies Mavericks take an independent approach, developing custom AI...
read Dec 10, 2024How new lawyers are adopting their skills to prepare for AI’s impact
The legal industry is experiencing a significant shift as artificial intelligence tools become increasingly prevalent, forcing young lawyers to adapt their skillsets and law schools to update their curricula. Current landscape and investment: The legal technology market is projected to grow from $26.7 billion in 2023 to $46 billion by 2030, with AI becoming a central component of this expansion. Harvey, a legal generative AI platform, recently secured $100 million in funding from major tech players including Alphabet and OpenAI, achieving a $1.5 billion valuation Established legal service providers like LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters are actively expanding their AI-powered offerings...
read Dec 10, 2024OpenAI-backed ‘Speak’ secures funding to improve language learning through conversational AI
AI-powered language learning apps are transforming how people achieve spoken fluency in new languages, with Speak emerging as a leading platform that emphasizes conversational practice over traditional memorization methods. Speak has secured a new funding round led by Accel, with participation from existing investors OpenAI's Startup Fund, Khosla Ventures, and Y Combinator. This follows their recent $20 million Series B extension at a $500 million valuation. OpenAI serves as both an investor and technology partner, with Speak utilizing OpenAI's technology in its platform. The company plans to use the funding to expand its language offerings to include Spanish and French,...
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