AI Insights for January 22, 2026

This message was originally shared to subscribers January 22, 2026.

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In This Issue

AI is everywhere, but the rollout is messy. In higher ed, nearly everyone is using AI, yet many employees still don’t know the rules. Workers say AI is saving them serious time, but training and support remain uneven. In classrooms, educators are balancing innovation with fears about critical thinking and shortcuts. Meanwhile, public trust lags, Europe is racing for AI independence, and governments are pushing robotics forward fast.

News and Views

Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and other paywalled content is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.

Education, Teaching and Learning

Coding, Engineering and Developer Productivity

Media and Advertising

    Policy, Geopolitics and “Sovereign AI”

    Tools, Models and Product Updates

    Tech Trends and What’s Next

    Work, Jobs and The Economy

    • AI Will Transform the Human Job and Enhance Skills, Says Science Minister (The Guardian)
    • Workers Use Time Saved by AI to Improve Their Roles, Indeed Finds (HR Dive)
    • Economic Report Shows AI Working Alongside Employees, Not Replacing Them (Anthropic)
    • Data Shows AI ‘Disconnect’ in Higher Ed Workforce (Inside Higher Ed)
    • More Than 60% of US Adults Now Start New Tasks With AI (PYMNTS)
    • McKinsey CEO Bob Sternfels Says the Firm Now Has 60,000 Employees: 25,000 of Them Are AI Agents (MSN)

      This Issue’s Tip: Claude Prompt Creator

      Creating a strong AI prompt doesn’t have to be complicated. Syracuse University’s AI Prompt Creator is a guided conversational assistant that helps you design comprehensive, high-quality prompts for AI agents on the Syracuse platform. It walks you through a structured process to define your agent’s behavior, personality, and capabilities—one question at a time—so you’re never overwhelmed. You’ll get helpful examples when needed, the chance to refine as you go, and built-in alignment with best practices and ethical guidelines.

      This Issue’s Win: AI Time Dividend Plan

      A prompt is how you ask generative AI tools to do something for you (e.g., creating, summarizing, editing or transforming). Treat it like a conversation, using clear language and enough context to get the result you have in mind.

      To get more practice, use the generative AI tool of your choice (for example, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI ChatGPT or Anthropic Claude) to execute the following prompt:

      “I want to use AI to create real value, not just do tasks faster.

      Step 1: Ask me 5 questions to identify the ONE part of my work that feels repetitive, unclear, or draining.

      Step 2: Turn my answers into:

      • a “before vs. after” workflow (what I do now vs. what AI can help with)
      • a reusable prompt pack (5 prompts I can copy/paste weekly)
      • a 10-minute daily AI routine that saves time without lowering quality

      Step 3: Add a “trust layer” checklist I must follow every time:

      • what I should never paste into AI
      • how to verify outputs fast
      • how to cite or disclose AI help when appropriate

      Keep it practical, simple, and tailored to my role.“

      Helpful Resources

      Thank you for reading. Go Orange!