Has there been a technology innovation in recent memory that has engendered more wildly divergent thinking than agentic AI? We’re hard-pressed to think of one. Depending on who you talk to or what you read, AI agents—systems based on gen AI foundation models that can act in the world and execute multistep processes—will lead to a utopia of productivity. Or displace huge swaths of the labor force. Or lead to robots running the world. Or provide everyone with a superpower. Or all of the above. To prepare for this uncertain future, executives will need to strip away the emotion from the conversation. Promises are everywhere; critical thinking, however, is in short supply. The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier: The potential of agentic AI certainly appears significant, especially as the technology continues its torrid pace of improvement. It is poised to transform knowledge work and reshape the nature of competition.
Friday, October 31, 2025
AI-powered teaching and learning for all Microsoft 365 education customers - MikeTholfsen, Microsoft TechCommunity
In our main Microsoft Education blog this morning, we announced the details of how Microsoft Education is bringing even more value to all EDU customers with Microsoft 365, including a new set of capabilities designed for relevant and powerful use by educators and students. These features will be included in all of the academic SKUs (A SKUs) at no additional cost, and many will be rolling out starting today, while others will be rolling out later this year and into early next year.
Topics:
AI for educators at no additional cost
AI for learners at no additional cost
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
Microsoft 365 LTI (LMS integration updates)
Microsoft 365 Copilot (add-on required)
Learning Accelerator updates
Learning Zone on the Copilot+ PC – public preview now available
Minecraft EU updates
We’re also introducing an academic offering for Microsoft 365 Copilot in education at $18 (USD) per user per month for educators, staff, and students ages 13 and older starting in December 2025.
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Universities at a turning point in an era of AI insecurity - Amber Wang, University World News
As artificial intelligence and global insecurity challenge university leaders worldwide, it is more important than ever for universities to remain true to their fundamental principles, according to the President of the American Council on Education (ACE), Ted Mitchell. “Independence, intellectual inquiry and academic excellence, inclusion, [and] the expectation that education is a good to be consumed by all of our citizens – these are things that we can’t compromise [on],” he said via video link to a conference of global university leaders of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) this week in Seoul, South Korea.
7 skills Harvard says will keep you employed in the age of ChatGPT - Times of India
Generative AI is transforming workplaces. Harvard research highlights seven key human skills that will keep workers valuable. These include critical thinking, AI fluency, complex problem-solving, communication, lifelong learning, ethical judgment and experimentation. Mastering these abilities will allow individuals to effectively leverage AI tools and navigate the evolving job market. Employers will prioritise these durable human capabilities.
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Universities Teaching Wisdom Skills 2030 - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed
Virtually all aspects and positions at universities will be touched by the AI transformation. The changes will come more rapidly than many of us in higher education are accustomed to or with which we are comfortable. In large part, the speed will be demanded by employers of our learners and by competition among universities. Change will also strike directly at the nature of what and how we teach. The higher-level skills humans will need as described by the Global Skills Development Council are different from many of the career-specific skills that universities now provide in short form certificates and certification programs. Rather, I suggest that these broad, deep skills are ones that we might best describe as “wisdom” skills. They are not vocational, but instead, deeper skills related to overall maturity and sophistication in leadership, vision and insight. They include thinking critically, thinking creatively, applying ethical reasoning, and adaptive collaboration with both humans and agentic AI.
What’s Your AI-dentity? - Bloomberg
The momentous decisions the world faces about AI’s role in our lives offer outcomes that seemingly range from universal enlightenment to mass extinction. How do you see AI shaping our future? More importantly, how do you want it to shape our future? Are you an Accelerationist? A Pragmatist? A Doomer? Take our quiz to find out which one of six different AI-dentities most closely resembles your views, how your answers affected your result and who your real-life fellow travelers might be.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
EDUCAUSE Action Plan Looks 10 Years Ahead at GenAI for Education - Abby Sourwine, GovTech
In a new action plan, EDUCAUSE outlines skills, ethics and collaboration strategies to guide effective use and implementation of generative artificial intelligence on college campuses for the next decade. With artificial intelligence advancing at breakneck speed, a new document from the nonprofit EDUCAUSE aims to give colleges and universities proactive steps to meet an uncertain future of teaching and learning with generative AI, rather than simply reacting to technological change. The report, 2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Building Skills and Literacy for Teaching with Generative AI, is the latest in EDUCAUSE’s long-running Horizon series and outlines how educators and administrators can build skills and literacy to teach with generative AI now and in the future.
‘Urgent need’ for more AI literacy in higher education, report says - Anna McKie, Research Professional News
There is an “urgent need” to improve AI literacy among both staff and students at British universities, according to a report from the Higher Education Policy Institute. The report takes a broad view on how AI is reshaping higher education, including institutional strategy, teaching and assessment, research, and professional services. Wendy Hall, an internet pioneer and director of the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton, and Giles Carden, chief strategy officer at Southampton, state in the report’s foreword that “simply acknowledging AI’s presence is insufficient”. “Active, informed engagement and a structured approach to skill development are paramount to ensure universities remain relevant and effective,” they say.
Monday, October 27, 2025
Realizing the full potential of AI agents - McKinsey
The story of agentic AI is still unfolding. The majority of CEOs have yet to see bottom-line value from AI agents. But there’s no question that the pace and potential scope of change are breathtaking. While we’re waiting for the technology to fully mature, CEOs can take advantage of this “trough of disillusionment” to understand the implications for how their companies operate, make some essential decisions, and get a jump on their competitors. A year into the agentic AI revolution, one lesson is clear: It takes hard work to do it well. We recently dug into more than 50 agentic AI builds we’ve supported, as well as dozens of others in the marketplace. Six lessons have emerged. Here’s one that may surprise you: Agents aren’t always the answer.
https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/shortlist/272/2025-10-17b.html
Concern and excitement about AI - Jacob Poushter, Moira Fagan and Manolo Corichi, Pew Research Center
A median of 34% of adults across 25 countries are more concerned than excited about the increased use of artificial intelligence in daily life. A median of 42% are equally concerned and excited, and 16% are more excited than concerned. Older adults, women, people with less education and those who use the internet less often are particularly likely to be more concerned than excited. Roughly half of adults in the U.S., Italy, Australia, Brazil and Greece say they are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life. But in 15 of the 25 countries polled, the largest share of people are equally concerned and excited. In no country surveyed is the largest share more excited than concerned about the increasing use of AI in daily life.
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Sharing Resources, Best Practices in AI - Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed
While generative artificial intelligence tools have proliferated in education and workplace settings, not all tools are free or accessible to students and staff, which can create equity gaps regarding who is able to participate and learn new skills. To address this gap, San Diego State University leaders created an equitable AI alliance in partnership with the University of California, San Diego, and the San Diego Community College District. Together, the institutions work to address affordability and accessibility concerns for AI solutions, as well as share best practices, resources and expertise. In the latest episode of Voices of Student Success, host Ashley Mowreader speaks with James Frazee, San Diego State University’s chief information officer, about the alliance and SDSU’s approach to teaching AI skills to students.
3 Leadership Micro-Credentials Are Redefining The Modern Career Path -Cheryl Robinson, Forbes
Traditional degrees are yielding to skills-based hiring, making micro-credentials crucial for professionals. These short, focused programs, offered by universities and tech platforms, efficiently equip leaders with vital skills like digital fluency and strategic agility. They address the urgent need for reskilling by 2030, enabling continuous learning and proving capabilities without lengthy academic commitments, though standardization is still evolving.
Saturday, October 25, 2025
About 1 in 5 U.S. workers now use AI in their job, up since last year - Luona Lin, Pew Research
As the abilities of artificial intelligence (AI) tools advance rapidly, a growing share of Americans say they are using the technology in their jobs. Today, 21% of U.S. workers say at least some of their work is done with AI, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in September. That share is up from 16% roughly a year ago. Most American workers (65%) still say they don’t use AI much or at all in their job.
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