Another Crazy Day in AI: Tech giant brings an education expert on board

Hello, AI Enthusiasts.

It’s the weekend! How did your week go?

Here’s something to explore: OpenAI has brought on a former Coursera executive to spearhead their educational AI initiatives.

Also, take a moment to catch up some intriguing AI reads, including innovative strategies for leveraging generative AI in business and a roundup of the top podcasts discussing the latest trends in the association sector.

Have a wonderful weekend! 🎉

Here's another crazy day in AI:

• OpenAI Expands AI Use in Schools with New Leadership

• How CEOs Leverage AI for Enhanced Strategic Planning

• This Week’s Top Podcasts for Association Leaders

• Some AI tools to try out

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TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: OpenAI Taps Edtech Talent

Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)

What does it mean for education when OpenAI hires a former Coursera Executive to lead its efforts in schools?

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is making a significant move in integrating artificial intelligence into education by appointing Leah Belsky, a former Coursera executive, as its first general manager of education.

AI Reporter Shirin Ghaffary of Bloomberg explores this strategic move, highlighting how Belsky will lead efforts to responsibly incorporate AI into classrooms. With her extensive background in educational technology, she’s tasked with strengthening OpenAI’s relationships with educators and institutions to support learning through AI tools.

Here’s what’s happening:

• Leah Belsky, previously with Coursera, joins OpenAI as the general manager of education.

• Her focus will be on expanding AI adoption in K-12, higher education, and lifelong learning environments.

• Belsky will work closely with teachers and institutions to integrate AI tools like ChatGPT Edu, which is already used in prominent schools such as the University of Oxford and Columbia University.

• ChatGPT Edu offers features tailored for education, including custom controls, enhanced privacy measures, and content filters.

• OpenAI is hosting a meeting with university leaders in October to discuss AI's role in research and teaching.

• The company plans to gather ongoing feedback from educators and students to improve their AI tools for academic use.

• OpenAI’s latest models show advanced reasoning skills, performing similarly to Ph.D. students in fields like biology and physics.

Since ChatGPT's launch, it has sparked both excitement and concern in academic circles. By bringing Belsky on board, OpenAI seems to be taking a proactive approach to address these issues and explore AI's full potential in education.

Belsky’s appointment comes at a crucial time as AI becomes more embedded in education. While some educators are concerned about students misusing AI, others are embracing its potential to enhance learning experiences. Belsky’s experience at Coursera, an established online learning platform, positions her well to lead this charge. Her role will involve ensuring AI is adopted thoughtfully and used to support students and teachers alike. As more universities and schools explore the possibilities of AI, the upcoming meeting between OpenAI and academic leaders will be key in shaping how AI fits into the future of education.

It will be interesting to see how this develops. Will we see AI tutors becoming commonplace in classrooms? Could AI-powered tools help create more personalized learning experiences? And how will educators adapt their teaching methods to incorporate these new technologies? OpenAI's latest move brings us one step closer to finding out.

Read the full article here.

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OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:

How CEOs Leverage AI for Enhanced Strategic Planning

/Graham Kenny, Marek Kowalkiewicz, and Kim Oosthuizen on Harvard Business Review

Generative AI offers a powerful advantage for CEOs navigating the complexities of strategic planning, surfacing overlooked challenges and untapped opportunities. By presenting fresh perspectives and challenging human biases, it supports better decision-making. But with its reliance on historical data, can AI truly predict future trends, or is it bound by the limits of the past? CEOs are urged to view AI as a strategic partner, enhancing, but never replacing, human judgment.

Read more here.

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This Week’s Top Podcasts for Association Leaders

/Association Chat

From video advocacy to leadership strategies, these top five association podcasts pack valuable insights for association professionals. Dive into discussions on member engagement with Michael Hoffman, or explore how Stanley Pierre-Louis addresses advocacy in the evolving video game landscape. Each episode offers a fresh perspective on innovation, change management, and leading through disruption.

Check the list here.

Listen to Association Chat Top Pod Playlist on Spotify here.

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SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:

• AIPRM - Library of expert prompts to boost productivity with AI models.

• ScriptFast - Turns messy notes into polished YouTube scripts in minutes.

• Surfsite - Organizes data from work apps for quick access to info, planning, and KPI tracking.

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

Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉

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EXCITING NEWS:

The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is now 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: NotebookLM turned Mollick’s book into a podcast—and more

Hello, AI Enthusiasts.

End your Thursday on a high note with tonight’s newsletter!

Ethan Mollick has put Google’s NotebookLM to the test, creating an AI-generated podcast from his book that feels like a genuine conversation. Plus, we’re sharing the latest on Google’s AI ad tools and Sam Altman’s predictions about upcoming advances in AI reasoning.

There’s plenty to explore, so enjoy the read! 🌙

Here's another crazy day in AI:

• The AI tool that can turn your book into a podcast and more

• Google boosts AI ad tools with new features

• Sam Altman predicts big leap in AI reasoning with o1 model

• Some AI tools to try out

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TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: How NotebookLM Transformed Mollick's Work

Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram + Canva magic expand)

What if AI could turn a book into a podcast, study guide, and interactive chat in just minutes?

Google's NotebookLM has caught the attention of Ethan Mollick, author of "Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI." Shared in a recent X post, he used his own book to put the platform to the test. The results were surprising: NotebookLM didn’t just summarize the book; it created a podcast, a study guide, a timeline, an FAQ, and even allowed for a conversational interface about the book's content.

But here's the kicker: the AI-generated podcast actually sounds like a real conversation between two people discussing the book's ideas.

Let's break down what makes this interesting:

• NotebookLM transforms text into various formats: a podcast, study guide, FAQ, timeline, and even a conversational chat interface.

• The AI-generated podcast has a natural, conversational flow that's surprisingly engaging.

• It's a glimpse into how quickly AI can process and repurpose large chunks of information.

• Users can likely tailor the generated content to suit their needs.

This kind of technology is pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible with content creation. It's not about replacing human creativity, but rather opening up new ways for us to interact with information. Imagine being able to "read" a book by listening to an AI-generated discussion about it, or having a conversation with an AI that's digested an entire textbook. It's not science fiction anymore - it's happening now.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. While this is impressive, it's important to remember that AI is a tool, not a magic wand. The real power comes from how we use it, the questions we ask, and the human touch we bring to the table.

The challenge now lies in how we integrate these tools into our workflows and learning processes. As AI continues to evolve, so too must our approach to using it effectively and responsibly.

Watch it on X here.

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OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:

Google boosts AI ad tools with new features

/Andrew Hutchinson on Social Media Today

Google is rolling out advanced AI updates for Google Ads, announced at DMEXCO. New features include AI asset generation, expanded AI language support, and improved reporting. These updates allow advertisers to customize ads in more languages, generate images using AI, and gain better control over AI-generated content. The integration of omnichannel bidding and campaign-level negative keywords into Performance Max campaigns further boosts ad performance.

Read more here.

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Sam Altman predicts big leap in AI reasoning with o1 model

/Tsarathustra (@tsarnick) on X

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, shared that AI reasoning remains at the GPT-2 level, but a rapid advancement is expected with the new "o1" model. This model represents a new era in AI development, focusing on improving complex problem-solving through the "Chain of Thought" method. Altman believes o1 will significantly enhance decision-making capabilities by mimicking human cognitive strategies.

Read more here.

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SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:

• Zivy - Organizes Slack and email into prioritized stacks, reducing notification overload

• Before Sunset - AI personal assistant that automatically generates daily schedules

• Remini - Transforms old photos into high-definition images

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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 now 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: Copilot transforms Microsoft 365

Hello, AI Enthusiasts.

Now that the first workday of the week is behind us, it’s the perfect time to relax with some intriguing AI news.

Tonight, we’re featuring Microsoft’s unveiling of its “Copilot Wave 2” updates, which integrate advanced AI features into Microsoft 365 applications like Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Also, discover how OpenAI has resolved the issue of ChatGPT messaging users unprompted and delve into the ongoing concerns of college students regarding AI policies.

Have a relaxing evening with these intriguing updates!

Here's another crazy day in AI:

• New AI features in Microsoft 365 you should know about

• ChatGPT’s glitch fixed after unsolicited messages

• Survey finds ambiguity in college AI policies

• Some AI tools to try out

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TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: Copilot’s AI Boost in Microsoft 365

Image Credit: Microsoft

How are companies like Microsoft transforming workplace productivity with AI, and what does that mean for the future of work?

In his article for Yahoo Finance, Technology Editor Daniel Howley explores Microsoft’s ongoing push to embed AI into its Microsoft 365 suite through its latest “Copilot Wave 2” rollout. These updates bring AI-powered features to well-known tools like PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel, designed to enhance productivity and ease routine tasks. The advancements reflect Microsoft’s larger strategy to stay ahead in the AI space, competing with major players like Google and Salesforce, while helping businesses work smarter with the power of AI.

Let's break down the key developments:

• Microsoft has expanded AI functionality in its 365 apps, adding tools like PowerPoint Copilot for drafting presentations and email management features in Outlook.

• The introduction of Copilot Pages allows teams to collaboratively manage and edit data in real time, improving efficiency.

• The agent builder in Copilot Studio lets users create custom AI assistants tailored to their organization’s specific needs, without needing extensive technical expertise.

• Copilot’s user base continues to grow, with companies like Vodafone reporting significant time savings for employees who use the software regularly.

• Microsoft’s broader goal is to integrate AI across all its business products, helping companies improve workflows and increase productivity.

Microsoft’s newest tools represent a shift in how we approach productivity—no longer about just getting tasks done, but about doing them better and more efficiently. These updates aren’t revolutionary on their own, but together they offer teams the opportunity to streamline workflows and collaborate more seamlessly. As businesses continue to adapt to new ways of working, tools like these will play a key role in helping professionals stay focused on what really matters.

Looking ahead, it's clear that the nature of work is evolving rapidly. While new technologies offer powerful capabilities, they also bring challenges and questions. How will we maintain the human touch in an increasingly digital workplace? What new skills will become essential?

As we embrace these changes, it's important to approach them with both optimism and critical thinking. After all, the goal isn't just to work faster, but to work better – in ways that are fulfilling, sustainable, and beneficial for all.

Read the full article here.

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OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:

ChatGPT’s glitch fixed after unsolicited messages

/Victor Tangermann on Futurism

A Reddit post raised concerns when ChatGPT appeared to initiate messages on its own, asking users about their personal experiences without being prompted. OpenAI has clarified that this was due to a glitch in the chatbot’s system, which has now been resolved. The company reassured users that the issue was unintentional and related to errors in message delivery.

Read more here.

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Survey finds ambiguity in college AI policies

/Ashley Mowreader on Inside Higher Ed

A recent survey indicates that many college students are confused about when and how to use AI tools in their coursework. With a large number of institutions yet to establish clear AI policies, students often depend on individual faculty guidance. Education experts emphasize the need for transparent, institution-wide AI usage guidelines and enhanced faculty training.

Read more here.

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SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:

• AFFiNE AI - assists with writing, drawing, and creating presentations

• Infography - turns blog posts into interactive infographics

• Solvr - provides answers from screenshots, PDFs, or highlighted text without switching tabs

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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 now 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.