Another Crazy Day in AI: Writing and the Learning Curve
- Wowza Team
- Apr 16
- 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.
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:
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