A parent is worried about an assignment requiring her son to use A.I. They bring on Jeff Young from the Learning Curve podcast to unpack what the listener's teacher was trying to get at, some good uses for ChatGPT (versus the bad ones), how A.I. ruined the em dash, and more.
But USC leaders said they changed their minds about him after seeing his temporary stewardship of campus in a difficult time. He has implemented major austerity measures - including more than 1,000 layoffs last year - to shore up a gaping budget deficit. He has navigated federal pressures from the Trump administration to remake USC in a more conservative image, and is leading USC's response to technology changes such as artificial intelligence that are challenging educational norms.
Universities are facing mounting challenges. From falling enrolments to dwindling support from populist governments, many institutions are in survival mode. Throw AI into the mix as a possible solution, and it's either a lifeline or a distraction, depending on whom you ask. In the four years since our last Young Universities supplement, the context for these institutions (aged 50 or younger) has changed dramatically.