Gap capitalized on the Sidney Sweeney “good genes” controversy by doing this collab with Katseye, the global pop group where each member is a different nationality. Each member of the pop group dances through in black and brown jeans.
Newsletter
Another one on how LLM sycophancy facilitates suicidal ideation.
Something that worries me about AI adoption in higher ed is the risk to students facing mental health challenges, who are increasingly turning to chat bots to plumb their own depths. What can higher ed ask of LLM business partners to protect our students’ mental health?
“It’s almost as if groups on both sides of the political spectrum are looking for an excuse to brand business decisions as politically or socially hostile,” said Jill Fisch, a professor of business law at the University of Pennsylvania who studies how corporations operate in political spaces.
Hey chat, how is pedagogy changing in an age of AI?
⚡ AI's last mile problem in higher ed
Sunday, August 17, 2025 • 5
Thinking out loud about tech in the public sector, and the classic technical problem of covering the “last mile.”
⚡ Navigating AI in higher ed communications: A practitioner's guide
Friday, August 15, 2025 • 7
As communications professionals in higher education, we work for institutions built on the pursuit of knowledge and innovation, yet many of us feel uncertain about how to thoughtfully integrate one of the most significant technological advances of our time: artificial intelligence. I offer some thoughts here.
I work in an IT communications role in higher ed, and AI finally crept into my life in a real way. Coming soon: some reflections on AI from a comms practitioner in higher ed.
AI-driven bots are disrupting web traffic— “and may also be inflating the internet economy by distorting the very metrics that drive tech company valuations.”
What makes AI generative? “To choose well between billions of things is difficult. To choose between effectively infinite options perfectly is impossible.”
“In 2024, there were a total of 454 words used excessively by chatbots, the researchers report.” When does use of AI tip over into something fraudulent? Experts disagree.
Currently reading: Women! In! Peril! by Jessie Ren Marshall 📚
The education sector is a big target for cyber attacks, with higher ed being one of the largest and most sensitive targets for bad actors. A recent study shows that education is unprepared as a sector and many institutions lack resources to support a thoughtful and robust cybersecurity program.
Search engines deliver answers instead of links. What does it mean for web traffic - and the outlets, people and jobs who rely on it? Inside the Media’s Traffic Apocalypse
A cool sustainability story out of Madison: “Birds did not evolve with windows, so [they] have little to no ability to identify them as solid, transparent objects…” sustainability.wisc.edu/bird-safe…
“The world’s most valuable companies are based in the United States, built on foundations of government-funded university research.” open.substack.com/pub/edtec…
Of course Jean Grae has a striking narrative voice and point of view. My hero. Currently reading: In My Remaining Years by Jean Grae 📚
Currently reading: Communication Solution by Stacy Smulowitz 📚
Close reading as the salve for These Times: https://defector.com/close-reading-is-for-everyone
How is identity created and conferred across digital spaces? And should those spaces be controlled by corporate interests? www.wired.com/story/big…
This book has some decent insights, especially on how to refine your leadership “brand” in the workplace and online, but I’m not sold yet. Currently reading: When We’re in Charge by Amanda Litman 📚
An interesting take on why we like AI for coding but not for writing. www.linkedin.com/pulse/cre…
Currently reading: In My Remaining Years by Jean Grae 📚
Currently reading: When We’re in Charge by Amanda Litman 📚
Which AI applications do what best - and how to think about it. www.vox.com/future-pe…
Private group chats are as maddening as public social media - and much harder to track. https://www.semafor.com/article/04/27/2025/the-group-chats-that-changed-america
I generally use this space to track what I’m reading in books. But going forward, I’ll also be using it to consolidate links to articles I’m reading about communication, higher education and technology trends.
Vonnegut captures today’s tech zeitgeist in a science fiction tale - written seventy years ago. Apparently he wrote it during his time at GE, inspired by their rush to automation. Finished reading: Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut 📚
Wherein the protagonist turns a blob into the man of her dreams. Currently reading: Blob by Maggie Su 📚