This message was originally shared to all faculty and staff via email on August 14, 2025.
At a Glance
Each month, Information Technology Services provides tech tips for the Orange community. Pressed for time? Here are this edition’s topics:
AI Insights for August 21, 2025
This message was originally shared to subscribers August 21, 2025.
Welcome to another edition of AI Insights from ITS at Syracuse University!
There’s a lot to catch up on: GPT-5 landed in Microsoft 365 Copilot, ChatGPT rolled out Study Mode and Perplexity AI shocked everyone with a $34.5 billion Chrome bid. Students are embracing ChatGPT for personal essays while universities explore AI for mental health support. Corporate America presents a fascinating paradox: billions invested in AI, yet many still await real returns. Gen Z leads AI adoption despite ongoing privacy concerns, while regulatory developments and Hinton’s superintelligence warnings keep us all thinking. Read more below—and yes, there will be a quiz!
How are you incorporating AI into your work? Share your experiences with us!
News and Views
Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.
Academia and Education
- Understanding Value of Learning Fuels ChatGPT’s Study Mode (Inside Higher Ed)
- Study Modes: The New AI Battleground (Ed Tech Insiders)
- Students Are Using ChatGPT to Write Their Personal Essays Now (Chronicle of Higher Education)
- 5 College Students. 5 Views on Generative AI. (Chronicle of Higher Education)
- How AI Supports Student Mental Health in Higher Education (EdTech)
- Universities Are Racing Toward AI. Is Anyone Watching the Road? (Minding the Campus)
Arts and Entertainment
- How AI is changing the music business (WBUR)
- AI-generated models shake up the fashion industry and raise concerns (PBS)
- Amazon’s Alexa Fund Invests in ‘Netflix of AI’ Start-Up Fable, Which Launches Showrunner: A Tool for User-Directed TV Shows (Variety)
Policy, Ethics and Governance
- Scaling Intelligence: The Exponential Growth of AI’s Power Needs (EPRI)
- The ‘godfather of AI’ reveals the only way humanity can survive superintelligent AI (CNN)
- Trump AI Action Plan: Short on Action (EDUCAUSE)
- Generative AI’s privacy problem (Axios)
Research and Science
- How AI could speed the development of RNA vaccines and other RNA therapies (MIT)
- Using generative AI, researchers design compounds that can kill drug-resistant bacteria (MIT)
- A new way to test how well AI systems classify text (MIT)
Tech Industry and Market Moves
- Perplexity Makes Longshot $34.5 Billion Offer for Chrome (Wall Street Journal)
- Nvidia, AMD may sell high-end AI chips to China if they pay US a cut (TechCrunch)
Tools, Research and Capabilities
- Google’s AI Pro plan for free now. Here’s how. (ZDNET)
- Google Launches Free AI Training & Tools (Google)
- GPT-5 Available in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Microsoft)
- Claude AI Can Now End Conversations It Deems Harmful or Abusive (CNET)
Work and the Workforce
- Young workers lead the way in AI learning, survey shows (HR Dive)
- AI Is Forcing the Return of the In-Person Job Interview (Wall Street Journal)
- Companies Are Pouring Billions Into A.I. It Has Yet to Pay Off. (New York Times)
- C.E.O.s Want Their Companies to Adopt A.I. But Do They Get It Themselves? (New York Times)
- 21 Ways People Are Using A.I. at Work (New York Times)
This Issue’s Tip: Tools Available to Faculty, Staff, and Students
ITS is excited to help you incorporate generative AI into your day-to-day. With that in mind, remember that you can log in to Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini using your University credentials:
- Microsoft Copilot is now powered by OpenAI’s latest GPT-5 model (the same model that powers ChatGPT). Visit m365.cloud.microsoft/chat and log in with your University email address and password to start exploring. Be sure to click “Try GPT-5” in the upper-right corner.
- Google Gemini (gemini.google.com) also is available, including access to Google’s 2.5 Pro Model featuring guided learning, a canvas editor and image generation. In addition, you can try NotebookLM, Google’s AI-powered research and writing assistant. Use your netid@g.syr.edu credentials when logging in.
This Issue’s Prompt: Planning an Event
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 need to plan [describe event: faculty mixer/student orientation/department meeting] for early fall. The event should accommodate [number] people, have a budget of approximately $[amount], and achieve these goals: [list 2-3 objectives]. Generate a planning timeline, suggest 3 venue options on the Syracuse University campus, create a supply list, and draft an invitation email. Also anticipate potential challenges and suggest solutions.”
Helpful Resources
Thank you for reading. Go Orange!
AI Insights for August 7, 2025
This message was originally shared to subscribers August 7, 2025.
Trump’s new AI Action Plan puts innovation and competition at the center, encouraging schools and agencies to adopt tools like ChatGPT and Claude. The plan reflects growing urgency to match China’s rapid integration of AI in education.
At the same time, companies like Microsoft and Google are investing billions into data centers to support AI growth. Higher ed is feeling the impact too, as tools are introduced to support student advising and career readiness.
Graduates face shifting job expectations, and younger users are interacting with AI in ways older generations are still figuring out. The semester ahead is shaping up to be a turning point.
News and Views
Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.
Academia and Education
- AI Isn’t Just Helping Students Cheat — It’s Exposing How Broken the Education System Is, Prominent Academic Says (Business Insider)
- We’re Producing a Generation of Students Who Will Feel They ‘Don’t Fit’ in the AI World, Economist Tyler Cowen Warns (Business Insider)
- Google Commits $1 Billion for AI Training at US Universities (Reuters)
- OpenAI’s Education Head Says Students Should Use ChatGPT as a Tool, Not ‘an Answer Machine’
(Business Insider) - Google Would Like You to Study With Gemini Instead of Cheat With It (The Verge)
- Majority of Students See Responsible AI Use as Key to Career Success, New Research Says (New York Post)
- Trump Admin Seeks to Unleash AI in Schools (The Hill)
- How College Possible’s AI Tool Softened the Blow of Federal Cuts (Inside Higher Ed)
- Measuring the Occupational Implications of Generative AI (arXiv)
- AI Is Wrecking an Already Fragile Job Market for College Graduates (The Wall Street Journal)
- NSF announces $100 million investment in National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes (NSF)
Policy, Ethics and Governance
- Judge Sends Hangdog Lawyer to AI School After He’s Caught Using ChatGPT to Cite Imaginary Caselaw (PC Gamer)
- Anthropic Wants to Sell the Government Claude for $1 (Axios)
- OpenAI’s Sam Altman Warns of AI Voice Fraud Crisis in Banking (AP News)
- The Global AI Contest Hits the UN (PYMNTS)
- Silicon Valley’s New Strategy: Move Slow and Build Things (The Wall Street Journal)
- By the Numbers: An AI Development Disconnect (HR Dive)
- The AI Boom’s Hidden Risk to the Economy (The Wall Street Journal)
Science and Society
- Generation AI: Why Gen Z Bets Big and Boomers Hold Back (PYMNTS)
- Google Will Use Machine Learning to Estimate Users’ Age (ADWEEK)
- YouTube to Roll Out New AI-Powered Technology Aimed at Identifying Teen Users (CBS News)
Tech Industry and Market Moves
- OpenAI Hits $12 Billion in Annualized Revenue (Reuters)
- Google Plans to Invest $6B to Build a 1-Gigawatt Data Center in India (MSN)
- Anthropic Surges Ahead in Enterprise AI Race (Menlo Ventures)
- Anthropic Yanks OpenAI’s Access to Claude Model (PYMNTS)
- Google Gets Its Swag Back (The Verge)
Tools, Research and Capabilities
- OpenAI Introduces Study Mode (OpenAI)
- OpenAI Launches New Open Models, Rivaling Offerings by DeepSeek and Meta (Semafor)
This Issue’s Tip: Prep for Fall While You Soak Up Summer
Still in summer mode but starting to think about fall? AI can help you ease into the semester—without giving up your vacation mindset. Use it to organize your digital life before classes ramp up: sort through your inbox, clean up your calendar, summarize course materials, or build a simple to-do list for move-in or syllabus week. Faculty can use AI to refresh last year’s assignments or draft welcome emails in seconds.
It’s a great way to get a head start—so when the semester begins, you’re already a step ahead.
This Issue’s Prompt: Personal Insight Builder
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:
“Help me reflect on a recent experience that challenged me in a positive way. Ask me a few questions to get started, then summarize my responses as a short personal insight I can use for a journal entry, blog post, or class discussion.”
Helpful Resources
Thank you for reading. Go Orange!
AI Insights for July 24, 2025
This message was originally shared to subscribers July 24, 2025.
The Trump administration’s AI action plan has arrived. The plan pushes for fewer rules, more data centers, and keeping AI infrastructure American-made.
Meanwhile, new research shows most students use tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm, get feedback, or save time, not replace learning. SUNY campuses are adapting fast, and faculty are rethinking what good teaching looks like in an AI-rich world.
The United Kingdom launched a $225M AI supercomputer to detect everything from cow illness to skin cancer. In the United States, AI spending is fueling an economic surge.
From policy to pedagogy, things are moving fast. Let’s dive in.
News and Views
Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.
Academia and Education
- OpenAI and Microsoft Bankroll New A.I. Training for Teachers (The New York Times)
- Exclusive: White House Announces AI Education Pledge (Axios)
- How Are Students Really Using AI? (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
- Have Chatbots Killed the Student Essay? (Times Higher Education)
- Chatbots in the Classroom: How AI Is Reshaping Higher Education (Financial Times)
- AI-Enabled Cheating Points to ‘Untenable’ Peer Review System (Inside Higher Ed)
- How AI Is Making Its Way Into Upstate Colleges (Times Union)
- New Report Calls for Faculty Control in AI Decisions (AAUP)
Policy, Ethics and Governance
- Winning the Race: AMERICA’S AI ACTION PLAN (The White House)
- Thoughts on America’s AI Action Plan (Anthropic)
- Inside Trump’s Long-Awaited AI Strategy (Time)
- White House Announces $92 Billion for AI and Energy Investment in Pennsylvania (The White House)
- The Need for Transparency in Frontier AI (Anthropic)
- AI Ethical Guidelines (Educause)
- Tech Giants Warn Window to Monitor AI Reasoning Is Closing, Urge Action (Tech Xplore)
Science and Society
- Nvidia Says New AI Weather Forecasting Model Boosts Speed, Accuracy (Axios)
- UK Switches on AI Supercomputer That Will Help Spot Sick Cows and Skin Cancer (The Guardian)
- AI and Gravity-Defying US GDP (Reuters)
Tech Industry and Market Moves
- Shadow AI Emerges in the Enterprise (CIO Dive)
- OpenAI, Perplexity Challenge Google’s Dominance in Online Search with New AI-Powered Web Browsers (Euro News)
- Oracle and OpenAI Will Develop an Additional 4.5 Gigawatts of Data Center Capacity (CNBC)
Tools, Research and Capabilities
- Introducing ChatGPT Agent: Bridging Research and Action (OpenAI)
- Chain-of-Thought Is Not Explainability (alphaXiv)
- A.I. vs. A.I. (The New York Times)
- Deloitte: The GenAI Dossier (Deloitte)
- Innovation Used to Be About Generations. Gen AI Makes It About Everyone (PYMNTS)
This Issue’s Tip: Use Prompts Like Menus, Not Magic Words
Don’t stress about writing the “perfect” prompt. Instead, think of your prompt like placing an order at a restaurant. Be clear about what you want, include any preferences (tone, format, audience), and don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions if the first response isn’t quite right.
➡️ Example: Instead of “Summarize this article,” try:
“Summarize this article in 3 bullet points, then explain how it might affect university faculty.”
Good AI results start with good conversation. You don’t need to be a coder—just a curious communicator.
This Issue’s Prompt: Plan a Summer Day
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:
“Plan my perfect summer day based on my preferences. Suggest activities, meals, and music I might enjoy. Add one unexpected twist, like a surprise guest or spontaneous detour. Then create a simple itinerary and a packing list to go with it.”
Helpful Resources
Thank you for reading. Go Orange!
AI Insights for July 10, 2025
This message was originally shared to subscribers July 10, 2025.
Did you miss this week’s ITS Summer Series session on generative AI? The recording is now available for anyone interested in how tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and Google Gemini are changing the way we work and create. The session covered the basics of generative AI, demonstrated how Copilot can help with tasks like writing emails and scheduling meetings and shared tips for using these tools securely with your syr.edu account. If you’re looking to get started with AI or want to see these tools in action, check out the recording and register for upcoming sessions here.
News and Views
Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.
Academia and Education
- How Schools Are Using Artificial Intelligence (The New York Times)
- ‘Positive Review Only’: Researchers Hide AI Prompts in Papers (Nikkei Asia)
Ethical, Legal and Societal Implications
- Content Independence Day: No AI Crawl Without Compensation! (Cloudflare)
- A.I. Is Starting to Wear Down Democracy (The New York Times)
- China’s DeepSeek AI Poses ‘Profound Threat’ To National Security, House Report Claims (Forbes)
Developments and Techniques
- The New Skill in AI is Not Prompting, It’s Context Engineering (Philipp Schmid
Futures and Perspectives
- How to Prepare for an AI-First Future (BCG)
- The AI Revolution Won’t Happen Overnight (Harvard Business Review)
Human AI Interaction
- How People Use Claude for Support, Advice, and Companionship (Anthropic)
- Build and Share AI-Powered Apps with Claude (Anthropic)
Workforce and Workplace
- AI Agents Raise Red Flags for Employees (CIO Dive)
- As Job Losses Loom, Anthropic Launches Program to Track AI’s Economic Fallout (TechCrunch)
This Issue’s Tip: Watch ITS Tech Tips Videos
New technology continues to transform how Syracuse University works, teaches, learns and creates. The ITS Tech Tips video series is here to help you stay ahead of the curve with short, instructional videos designed to make technology work for you. Our latest video covers Microsoft Copilot. Learn how to use Copilot for scheduling meetings, drafting documents, summarizing files and managing your inbox more efficiently.
Join our Tech Tips mailing list to receive email notifications about new Tech Tips videos and upcoming ITS workshops.
This Issue’s Prompt: Plan a Fall Semester Kick-Off Event
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:
“Help me plan a Fall semester kick-off event for students and staff. Include suggested themes, promotional ideas, a sample email invitation, and a basic timeline. The event should be engaging, inclusive, and highlight campus resources.”
Helpful Resources
Thank you for reading. Go Orange!