Online and Professional Continuing Education News


See below for a listing of curated news articles of the day brought to you by Ray Schroeder, Senior Fellow at UPCEA. 

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  • OpenAI says they are no longer optimizing ChatGPT to keep you chatting — here’s why - Amanda Caswell, Tom's Guide
    With over 180.5 million monthly active users and nearly 2.5 billion prompts per day, OpenAI recently revealed it is optimizing ChatGPT to help, not hook. In a new blog post titled “What we’re optimizing ChatGPT for,” OpenAI revealed it’s moving away from traditional engagement metrics like time spent chatting. Instead, the company says it’s now […]
  • The Precision Learning Companion - There Is An AI For That (TAAFT) Notion Site
    This prompt turns AI into an ultra-detailed, dynamic personal tutor that doesn’t just quiz, it teaches deeply, layer by layer, until the user genuinely masters the material. It’s built to adapt in real time, constantly diagnosing knowledge gaps, and never moving forward without full comprehension. Every answer, right or wrong, triggers a structured, narrative-style breakdown […]
  • OpenAI, Google and Anthropic Win US Approval for Civilian AI Contracts - Bloomberg
    The US government’s central purchasing arm is adding OpenAI, Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Anthropic to a list of approved artificial intelligence vendors, opening the door to widespread adoption of the technology across civilian federal agencies. The move by the General Services Administration, to be announced Tuesday, will speed up the adoption of AI tools in […]
  • Here are 4 ways your institution can become more attractive for adult learners - Alcino Donadel, University Business
    Here are some institutional insights from the report to increase adult re-enrollment.Increase financial assistance: Tuition assistance, emergency aid, work-study and other campus-based resources will ensure finances won’t inhibit adult learners from re-enrollment.Simplify admission process: Stopped-out adults encounter administrative barriers when trying to return to school, such as complex re-enrollment procedures and financial aid roadblocks. Institutions […]
  • These College Professors Will Not Bow Down to A.I. - Jessica Grose, NY Times
    Where does this leave college students? Gen Z is not giving up on the arts or the pleasures of reading and thinking for themselves. As A.I. creates chaos and uncertainty in the market for entry-level jobs, more students may react by following their passion for the humanities; why begrudgingly major in tech or business if […]
  • Self-adaptive reasoning for science - Newman Cheng, et al; Microsoft
    Unlocking self-adaptive cognitive behavior that is more controllable and explainable than reasoning models in challenging scientific domains. Long-running LLM agents equipped with strong reasoning, planning, and execution skills have the potential to transform scientific discovery with high-impact advancements, such as developing new materials or pharmaceuticals. As these agents become more autonomous, ensuring effective human oversight […]
  • Bringing the best of AI to college students for free - Sundar Pichai, The Google Keyword Blog
    Starting today, students (ages 18+) in the U.S. as well as in Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Brazil can sign-up for a 12 month Google AI Pro plan for free. Here’s what they’ll get:Expanded access to Gemini 2.5 Pro: Ask any question and upload images. Our most capable model provides quick homework and writing help.Deep Research: Save time […]
  • OpenAI Announces Massive US Government Partnership - Joe Schiffer and Will Knight, Wired
    OpenAI is partnering with the US government to make its leading frontier models available to federal employees. Under the agreement, federal agencies can access OpenAI’s models for $1 for the next year, per a Wednesday announcement from the company and the General Services Administration (GSA). The partnership is the culmination of months of effort on […]
  • AI Skills Needed in Many Postgrad Careers—Not Just Tech - Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed
    More companies are seeking employees with experience using artificial intelligence tools outside of traditional computer science or IT fields, according to a recent report. As artificial intelligence tools continue to develop, more industries are seeking workers who possess AI skills, creating opportunities for higher education to better prepare students. A recent report from Lightcast found […]
  • U.S. Continuing Education Market to Surpass USD 95.98 Billion by 2030, Growing at 6.2% CAGR as AI and Micro-Credentials Reshape Learning - Arizton, the Globe and Mail
    According to Arizton’s latest report, the U.S. continuing education market is projected to grow from USD 66.91 billion in 2024 to USD 95.98 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 6.20% during the forecast period. The continuing education market is accelerating its digital transformation as AI becomes a core growth catalyst. Providers are adopting […]
  • College students can get Google's AI Pro plan for free now. Here's how - Sabrina Ortiz, ZDnet
    Students ages 18+ get the Google AI Pro plan for free for 12 months. Plan includes access to Deep Research, Veo 3, Jules, and more.Part of a larger $1 billion investment in AI education and job training. As AI tools continue to develop, they expand beyond the standard question-and-answer loop and offer more meaningful assistance for students. […]
  • Google Just Defeated Human Genius: Why Even Google’s CEO Is Terrified - Julia McCoy, YouTube
    This podcast discusses Google's recent AI breakthrough with their Gemini model, enhanced with "deep think," which achieved a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). This demonstrates the AI's unprecedented reasoning capabilities, solving complex mathematical problems that have long stumped human experts. Google attributes this to "parallel thinking," where the AI explores multiple solution […]
  • What we’re optimizing ChatGPT for - OpenAI
    This is what a helpful ChatGPT experience could look like:“Help me prepare for a tough conversation with my boss.” ChatGPT tunes into what you need to feel at your best, with resources like practice scenarios or a tailored pep talk so you can walk in feeling grounded and confident.“I need to understand my lab results.” […]
  • ChatGPT’s Study Mode Is Here. It Won’t Fix Education’s AI Problems - Reece Rogers, Wired
    OpenAI’s new study mode for ChatGPT throws questions back at students, but the learning feature doesn’t address generative AI’s underlying disruption of education. The mode is designed around the Socratic method, so when activated, OpenAI’s generative AI chatbot rejects direct requests for answers, instead guiding the user with open-ended questions. The new study mode is […]
  • The Quantum-AI Convergence Changes Everything - Click Future, Youtube
    Quantum-enhanced AI can solve problems impossible for classical systems, excelling in areas like optimization, pattern recognition, and complex system modeling. It can learn from smaller datasets and has demonstrated creativity and insight beyond classical AI. The podcast highlights rapid advancements in this field and outlines practical applications across various industries, including drug discovery, material science, […]
  • CSU Faculty Projects Test AI for Creative Majors, Design - Abby Sourwine, GovTech
    Sixty-three projects funded by the California State University system are experimenting with generative AI, from single-course pilots to full program overhauls, and producing open resources for others to consult. In classrooms across the California State University (CSU) system, faculty are looking to turn generative artificial intelligence from a disrupter into a teaching tool. From musical […]
  • An AI-Enhanced Education - Allison Elliott, Columbia Engineering
    While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for decades, the entry of ChatGPT in 2022 marked the beginning of a new era in AI. Institutions of higher education were particularly impacted by the explosion in AI use and are now navigating how to incorporate these technologies in a way that can improve educational models and […]
  • 99% of People Are Using ChatGPT Wrong (Do This Instead) - There's An AI For That
    This podcast explains how to use ChatGPT more effectively through various prompt engineering techniques. It highlights the importance of crafting precise instructions for optimal output. Key techniques discussed include: Role Prompting: Assigning ChatGPT a specific persona (e.g., career coach, finance professor) to influence the style and quality of its responses [00:43].Chain of Thought Prompting: Guiding ChatGPT […]
  • AI literacy: What it is, what it isn’t, who needs it and why it’s hard to define - Daniel Schiff, et al; the Conversation
    The implications of AI literacy, or lack thereof, are far-reaching. They extend beyond national ambitions to remain “a global leader in this technological revolution” or even prepare an “AI-skilled workforce,” as the executive order states. Without basic literacy, citizens and consumers are not well equipped to understand the algorithmic platforms and decisions that affect so […]
  • Faculty Latest Targets of Big Tech’s AI-ification of Higher Ed - Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed
    A new partnership between OpenAI and Instructure will embed generative AI in Canvas. It may make grading easier, but faculty are skeptical it will enhance teaching and learning. Last week, Instructure, which owns the widely used learning management system Canvas, announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate into the platform native AI tools and agents, […]

Other Curated News: 

News from UPCEA: 

Higher Education’s Role in the Era of the Great Resignation

The numbers are startling. In the wake of deadly Covid infections, quarantines, and isolation, nearly three percent of the entire U.S. workforce resigned in the month of August alone. What is higher ed’s role re-shaping careers and lives? Hidden behind the hundreds of thousands of deaths in…

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Build Back Better Act Gets Pared Down | Policy Matters (October 2021)

Major Updates Build Back Better Act Gets Pared Down President Biden and Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending bill has been pared down to $1.75 trillion in light of a lack of full Democratic party support for the larger amount, and no Republican votes expected. The bill…

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In the Eye of the Storm

In the Eye of the Storm

A common fact about hurricanes is that the greatest disruption and damage is caused when the storm enters an area and then departs it. A subtle calm is experienced as the eye of the hurricane often pauses over an area to sometimes gain strength. Higher…

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