Another Crazy Day in AI 47/109

Another Crazy Day in AI: Canva’s Magic Workflow

Apr 18, 2025
4 min read

Hello, AI Enthusiasts.

Before you melt into the couch and forget what day it is…

Canva’s new update = less “flashy features,” more “finally useful.” Their upgraded AI assistant now whips up full designs from just a prompt—and adds some serious data armor.

Job-hunting or just vibing in career limbo? HBR says AI can be your 24/7 career coach—with prompts to prove it.

Running paid ads? Plug your PPC data into GenAI and start getting ahead of the curve.

Okay, now it’s weekend mode.

Here's another crazy day in AI:

Canva levels up with a new AI assistant
Gen AI as your personal coach
AI that knows your campaigns
Some AI tools to try out

TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: Smarter Design with Canva AI

A robotic scientist in a classic white coat with 'AI Scientist' on its back stands beside a human scientist with 'Human Scientist' on their coat, looking towards the AI Scientist.

Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)

Where is Canva headed with its latest release?

Canva recently introduced its AI-powered creative assistant, and it’s a pretty notable step forward for everyday design tools. The platform now offers a more streamlined way to create content—whether that’s visual design, written material, or something in between—by letting you start with a simple text prompt or even a voice input. Everything happens within Canva’s interface, and the idea is to simplify the creative process without needing to jump between multiple tools.

The new assistant is designed with flexibility in mind. It can adapt to individual creators, teams, or organizations, helping them quickly generate content while staying consistent with their visual identity. There's also a focus on responsible AI, with Canva Shield providing some additional safeguards to help teams manage how AI is used across their projects.

Here’s a quick look at what the latest release brings:

Magic Media can now turn simple prompts into short videos and animations
Magic Write is available across design types, making it easier to add copy into any format
Magic Design suggests layouts based on uploaded files or rough ideas
Photo editing gets a boost with tools like Magic Grab and Magic Expand
Canva Shield offers more control over how AI features are used and monitored
New enterprise tools support brand consistency, collaboration, and team workflows

This release feels like Canva leaning further into what it's already known for—making design approachable and accessible. But now, there’s more depth behind the simplicity. Instead of just making it easier to start a project, these features help teams carry that momentum through to the finish line. It’s a thoughtful move that recognizes how people actually use design tools in day-to-day work.

For individual creators, it’s a chance to experiment with new formats and ideas without needing expert-level skills. For teams, it introduces more structure and efficiency, without getting in the way of creativity. Canva isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel with this update—but it’s making sure the wheel turns a bit more smoothly.

Read the full blog here.

OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:

Gen AI as Your Personal Coach

/Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Author & Organizational Psychologist, on Harvard Business Review

AI is stepping in as a surprisingly powerful ally for those navigating their careers. Whether you're exploring new job paths, refining your resume, or practicing for interviews, generative AI tools like ChatGPT are offering 24/7 support once limited to costly human coaches. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic outlines specific ways to get meaningful career help through AI—backed by prompt templates and tips to personalize the experience. From building leadership skills to setting boundaries at work, this guide covers it all while reminding us: the real edge isn’t just using AI, but knowing how to use it well.

Read more here.

AI That Knows Your Campaigns

/Frederick Vallaeys, Co-Founder, Optmyzr, on Search Engine Land

Feeding your PPC data directly into generative AI transforms AI from a vague assistant into a sharp strategist. Frederick Vallaeys explains how plugging performance data into tools like GPT not only surfaces more accurate insights but also unlocks proactive recommendations—like flagging spend anomalies or forecasting performance dips. The piece outlines four practical methods: Google Ads scripts, Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol, OpenAI’s GPT Actions, and built-in AI tools that work right where you already manage campaigns. The big idea? Your data is the missing piece that turns generic AI into a campaign powerhouse.

Read more here.

Roundup of the four ways generative AI can be connected with ads data to produce better results | Source: Frederick Vallaeys, Search Engine Land — Roundup of the four ways generative AI can be connected with ads data to produce better results | Source: Frederick Vallaeys, *Search Engine Land*

SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:

Mailgo – Automates outreach with AI, ensuring emails land in inboxes, not spam.
GRID spreadsheet API – AI-ready spreadsheet engine with reliable, no-fluff results.
Claude Research – Anthropic’s DeepSearch-style tool for smarter information retrieval.

That’s a wrap on today’s Almost Daily craziness.

Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉

EXCITING NEWS:

The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is on LinkedIn!!!

Leveraging AI for Enhanced Content: As part of our commitment to exploring new technologies, we used AI to help curate and refine our newsletters. This enriches our content and keeps us at the forefront of digital innovation, ensuring you stay informed with the latest trends and developments.

Another Crazy Day in AI: What Superworker Companies Do Differently

Apr 17, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Apr 18, 2025

Hello, AI Enthusiasts.

Your inbox deserves something smarter than leftovers.

Josh Bersin maps out how AI turns regular roles into “superworker” material. No buzzwords, just a smart story and a 4-step path to real transformation.

And yes, leadership is hard. Practicing it doesn’t have to be. AI-powered coaching tools are helping employees rehearse tricky convos and get better at judgment calls—without needing a manager breathing down their neck.

In other news, scientists can track solar patterns across decades by syncing old telescope data with new. Think: archival footage meets neural network magic.

That’s it from the AI corner—rest your mind, your inbox can wait.

Here's another crazy day in AI:

Four stages of AI at work
AI-powered leadership coaching is on the rise
AI helps scientists unlock solar secrets
Some AI tools to try out

TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: The Rise of the Superworker

Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)

Are you ready to become more than just efficient—are you ready to become a Superworker?

In this newly released explainer video, global HR analyst Josh Bersin walks us through what he calls “The Age of the Superworker.” It’s a practical look at how AI is reshaping jobs—not by replacing people, but by helping them do more meaningful, higher-value work. The video introduces the four stages of AI in the workplace and outlines how employees and companies can move through these stages to unlock new levels of productivity, creativity, and impact.

This ties into Bersin’s 2025 research report, where he lays out clear priorities for business and HR leaders navigating today’s rapidly evolving work environment. His view is direct: companies that invest in helping people use AI effectively are the ones most likely to stay resilient and competitive in the years ahead.

Here’s a quick look at what’s inside:

What defines a Superworker and why this idea is gaining traction
The four stages of AI adoption in everyday work:
- Stage 1: AI assists with routine tasks
- Stage 2: AI automates processes within roles
- Stage 3: AI operates across systems and departments
- Stage 4: AI handles full workflows, while humans focus on leading, solving, and innovating
Examples across roles like HR, marketing, software, and retail
Five focus areas Bersin urges leaders to prioritize in 2025:
- Reworking job and team structures
- Building flexible, high-skill talent models
- Strengthening culture and leadership approaches
- Making HR more integrated and problem-focused
- Updating tech stacks to reflect how work actually gets done
Additional materials, including Bersin’s Galileo™ assistant, learning programs, and the Irresistible 2025 leadership event

A lot of the talk around AI in the workplace has focused on what’s being lost—roles, routines, or even relevance. What this video and research do well is shift the focus toward what might actually be gained. It’s not framed as disruption for the sake of disruption—it’s about how work can evolve, and what that evolution could look like when guided with intention.

The “Superworker” isn’t a futuristic concept. It’s something many professionals are already becoming, often without realizing it—simply by pairing their expertise with tools that make space for deeper, more impactful work. The challenge isn’t whether this change is coming; it’s how thoughtfully we choose to approach it.

Read more here.

OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:

AI-Powered Leadership Coaching Is On the Rise

/Aytekin Tank, Founder & CEO, Jotform, on Fast Company

Soft skills like leadership and judgment are becoming even more essential in an AI-driven future — and AI itself is stepping in to help build them. Companies are now turning to generative AI platforms that simulate tough conversations, deliver personalized coaching, and offer real-time feedback to help leaders grow. These tools allow employees to practice confidently in private, free from performance pressure, and adapt to the needs of specific organizations. As Aytekin Tank, founder of Jotform, puts it: AI makes leadership development scalable, affordable, and tailored for every level of the workplace.

Read more here.

AI Helps Scientists Unlock Solar Secrets

/Sharmila Kuthunur, Contributing Writer, on Space

Scientists are using artificial intelligence to bridge the gap between historic and modern solar data, allowing them to study the sun’s evolution with greater accuracy. A new AI framework can translate low-quality data from older telescopes into higher-resolution images, effectively syncing decades of observations. This breakthrough lets researchers observe solar events, sunspots, and magnetic fields with renewed clarity, even from instruments that never operated at the same time. “It’s about creating a universal language to study the sun’s evolution across time,” said lead researcher Robert Jarolim.

Read more here.

Jarolim, R., Veronig, A.M., Pötzi, W. et al. A deep learning framework for instrument-to-instrument translation of solar observation data. Nat Commun 16, 3157 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58391-4 — Jarolim, R., Veronig, A.M., Pötzi, W. *et al.* A deep learning framework for instrument-to-instrument translation of solar observation data. *Nat Commun* 16, 3157 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58391-4

SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:

NeoBase – Talk to your database with AI, no dashboards needed.
Actively AI – Maximizes revenue by understanding and analyzing potential customers.
Wegic – Create anything in 60 seconds with AI.

That’s a wrap on today’s Almost Daily craziness.

Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉

EXCITING NEWS:

The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is on LinkedIn!!!

Another Crazy Day in AI: Writing and the Learning Curve

Apr 16, 2025
4 min read

Hello, AI Enthusiasts.

It’s a perfect time for a pause and a little insight. Whether you're halfway through the week or already counting down to the weekend, here’s what's been happening in AI:

In an episode of Class Disrupted podcast, hosts discuss with Harvard’s Jane Rosenzweig why AI in student writing might not be all it’s cracked up to be.

Meanwhile, Central Michigan is offering an AI minor, so now everyone can join the AI club.

And Celonis’ global survey just revealed that AI still needs to know your processes before it can help. Guess AI’s got homework, too!

Brains fed, inbox ignored—call it a night.

Here's another crazy day in AI:

What’s the point of writing anymore?
New degree program builds AI into more majors
Survey: Business leaders say AI needs better context to deliver ROI
Some AI tools to try out

TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: The Learning Behind the Writing

Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)

Do students still need to write when ChatGPT can do it for them? Are we sacrificing deep learning for efficiency in the age of AI?

In the new episode of Class Disrupted, hosts Diane Tavenner and Michael Horn speak with Jane Rosenzweig, Director of the Harvard College Writing Center, about what’s at stake when students turn to AI to do their writing. Drawing from decades of experience teaching expository writing, Rosenzweig shares why writing is more than an academic requirement—it’s a core way students learn to think, develop ideas, and express understanding.

Published by The 74, the episode brings a grounded perspective to a fast-moving conversation. Rather than reacting with hype or fear, the discussion focuses on what AI can and can’t do in the context of writing instruction—and why it matters.

Some points from the discussion worth thinking about:

Writing is closely tied to thinking. When students skip that process, something important is lost.
Giving students AI tools too early can interrupt their development of foundational writing skills.
AI is often framed as a catch-all solution, but it lacks the nuance and guidance students need to grow.
Rosenzweig uses AI in her teaching—but with purpose, such as prompting counterarguments rather than providing answers.
Many students now expect AI to make learning faster, but the most valuable parts of learning aren’t always efficient.
The pressure to produce clean, finished work can obscure the value of messier, slower, more thoughtful drafts.
Educators are still adapting to this shift—often rethinking what writing is meant to teach in the first place.

Rather than offering a clear line between helpful and harmful uses of AI, the discussion leans into the complexity of integrating new tools into education. Rosenzweig raises concerns about “deskilling”—a term she uses to describe what happens when students begin to rely on AI before they’ve learned how to write and think through problems on their own. She emphasizes that learning to write isn’t just about producing work—it’s about learning how to reason, argue, and reflect.

This becomes especially relevant in classrooms where writing has often been shaped by standardized formats and performance-based goals. The conversation invites deeper thinking around what writing assignments are really meant to teach—and how easily that purpose can shift when a chatbot is involved. As schools and educators continue to navigate AI’s role in learning, questions like these remain open and worth revisiting.

Read the full transcript here.

Listen on Apple Podcasts.

Listen on Spotify.

OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:

New Degree Program Builds AI Into More Majors

/Eric Baerren, Assistant Director of Communications, on Central Michigan University Newsroom

A new applied AI minor at Central Michigan University is giving students from a wide variety of majors the opportunity to integrate artificial intelligence into their academic paths. Designed to support not just computer science majors but also students in business, arts, and sciences, the program focuses on real-world applications like large language models and image interpretation. Faculty say the goal is to equip students with the skills to use and understand AI systems — not just build them — in any career path. The minor launches in Fall 2025.

Read more here.

Survey: Business Leaders Say AI Needs Better Context to Deliver ROI

/Chris Cooper, Senior Content Marketing Manager, on Celonis

In Celonis' latest global survey of 1,620 business leaders, nearly 90% agree that AI must understand how internal processes work to be truly effective. While AI adoption is widespread, most use cases today are still basic—chatbots, search tools, and assistants—leaving much of AI’s ROI potential untapped. Departments are now aiming for more advanced goals like intelligent automation, improved route planning, and fraud detection. But poor visibility into business processes remains a top barrier—one leaders plan to overcome through investments in process intelligence and mining.

Read more here.

Source: Celonis, What AI needs to succeed, 2025

SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:

Notion Mail – Sorts emails, creates custom views, and drafts replies in your style.
Opennote – Learn with AI-generated Feynman-like diagrams and interactive tools.
Tableau Pulse – Sends personalized data insights and explains changes—no need to build visualizations.

That’s a wrap on today’s Almost Daily craziness.

Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉

EXCITING NEWS:

The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is on LinkedIn!!!