Tag Archives: education

OpenAI and Microsoft are funding $10 million in grants for AI-powered journalism

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OpenAI and Microsoft are funding projects to bring more AI tools into the newsroom. The duo will give grants of up to $10 million to Chicago Public Media, the Minnesota Star Tribune, Newsday (in Long Island, NY), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Seattle Times. Each of the publications will hire a two-year AI fellow to develop projects for implementing the technology and improving business sustainability. Three more outlets are expected to receive fellowship grants in a second round.

OpenAI and Microsoft are each contributing $2.5 million in direct funding as well as $2.5 million in software and enterprise credits. The Lenfest Institute of Journalism is collaborating with OpenAI and Microsoft on the project, and announced the news today.

To date, the ties between journalism and AI have mostly ranged from suspicious to litigious. OpenAI and Microsoft have been sued by the Center for Investigative Reporting, The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story and AlterNet. Some publications accused ChatGPT of plagiarizing their articles, and other suits centered on scraping web content for AI model training without permission or compensation. Other media outlets have opted to negotiate; Condé Nast was one of the latest to ink a deal with OpenAI for rights to their content.

In a separate development, OpenAI has hired Aaron Chatterji as its first chief economist. Chatterji is a professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and he also served on President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers as well as in President Joe Biden's Commerce Department.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-microsoft-are-funding-10-million-in-grants-for-ai-powered-journalism-193042213.html?src=rss

OpenAI and Anthropic agree to share their models with the US AI Safety Institute

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OpenAI and Anthropic have agreed to share AI models — before and after release — with the US AI Safety Institute. The agency, established through an executive order by President Biden in 2023, will offer safety feedback to the companies to improve their models. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hinted at the agreement earlier this month.

The US AI Safety Institute didn’t mention other companies tackling AI. But in a statement to Engadget, a Google spokesperson told Engadget the company is in discussions with the agency and will share more info when it’s available. This week, Google began rolling out updated chatbot and image generator models for Gemini.

“Safety is essential to fueling breakthrough technological innovation. With these agreements in place, we look forward to beginning our technical collaborations with Anthropic and OpenAI to advance the science of AI safety,” Elizabeth Kelly, director of the US AI Safety Institute, wrote in a statement. “These agreements are just the start, but they are an important milestone as we work to help responsibly steward the future of AI.”

The US AI Safety Institute is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It creates and publishes guidelines, benchmark tests and best practices for testing and evaluating potentially dangerous AI systems. “Just as AI has the potential to do profound good, it also has the potential to cause profound harm, from AI-enabled cyber-attacks at a scale beyond anything we have seen before to AI-formulated bioweapons that could endanger the lives of millions,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in late 2023 after the agency was established.

The first-of-its-kind agreement is through a (formal but non-binding) Memorandum of Understanding. The agency will receive access to each company’s “major new models” ahead of and following their public release. The agency describes the agreements as collaborative, risk-mitigating research that will evaluate capabilities and safety. The US AI Safety Institute will also collaborate with the UK AI Safety Institute.

It comes as federal and state regulators try to establish AI guardrails while the rapidly advancing technology is still nascent. On Wednesday, the California state assembly approved an AI safety bill (SB 10147) that mandates safety testing for AI models that cost more than $100 million to develop or require a set amount of computing power. The bill requires AI companies to have kill switches that can shut down the models if they become “unwieldy or uncontrollable.”

Unlike the non-binding agreement with the federal government, the California bill would have some teeth for enforcement. It gives the state’s attorney general license to sue if AI developers don’t comply, especially during threat-level events. However, it still requires one more process vote — and the signature of Governor Gavin Newsom, who will have until September 30 to decide whether to give it the green light.

Update, August 29, 2024, 4:53 PM ET: This story has been updated to add a response from a Google spokesperson.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-anthropic-agree-to-share-their-models-with-the-us-ai-safety-institute-191440093.html?src=rss

Snap is trying to help educators better understand how students use Snapchat

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As millions of young people head back to school, Snap wants to help educators have a better understanding of how teens use Snapchat, and be aware of the safety resources and protections that are available. The Educator’s Guide to Snapchat features videos that detail features that schools can employ, as well as safeguards for young people.

The guide offers educators materials they can pass along to parents and counselors to help students navigate serious online risks such as bullying, mental health concerns and sextortion. Through a new form, Snap is also seeking feedback from educators directly about how the app is used in school communities.

Snap's aim is to help educators stay connected with their students, and having a working knowledge of online platforms plays an important role in that. A toolkit that the company developed in partnership with Safe and Sound Schools provides educators with information on how to better support the online safety and wellbeing of their students. There is, of course, an onus on explaining how Snapchat works.

According to Snap, more than 20 million US teens use Snapchat. Schools across the country have taken a variety of approaches to managing phone use, with some requiring students to seal their handsets in pouches while they're in class. Some states have outright banned students from using their phones in classrooms or on school grounds. The merits of sweeping bans on phones in schools are up for debate, but there's no denying that there's value in helping educators and students have a better understanding of how to safely use their devices, various apps and the internet.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/snap-is-trying-to-help-educators-better-understand-how-students-use-snapchat-150754158.html?src=rss

11 must-have gadgets for college students in 2024

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As a college student today, you'll need certain tech to get your work done — key among the bunch being a solid laptop for college. But there are other gadgets that can make your academic life easier, and in some cases, more fun. If you're looking to stay organized, produce better work and enjoy your down time on and off campus, picking up a few important devices before you start the next semester can make all the difference. We've collected some of the must-have gadgets for college that we've tested here, and we wouldn't be surprised if all of them stuck with you long after your four-year university run is over.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/11-must-have-gadgets-for-college-students-in-2024-120044203.html?src=rss

Nature-inspired toy-like calculator tries to get kids more interested in math

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With plenty of phones and tablets around, kids are becoming more and more tech-savvy every generation. That, however, doesn’t always mean they are getting smarter or more skilled in other aspects of learning as well, particularly sciences and math that are more closely related to tech. There are plenty of apps that try to teach the basics, including reading and writing, but younger kids also need to develop their sense of touch, which requires more tactile experiences while learning. This calculator tries to pique children’s curiosity and engage not just their minds but also their senses, and it takes inspiration from one of nature’s hardest workers: bees and their geometric honeycombs.

Designer: Mohit Joshi

Calculator designs are not uncommon, but the vast majority of them utilize simple shapes like squares, circles, or even rounded squares, sometimes known as “squircles.” Not surprising, as these tools are designed for adults who value efficiency and performance primarily with aesthetics coming second only. The opposite is true for kids, however, whose short attention spans require designs that are captivating and intriguing, and keeping the design still functional is the challenge.

Some consider the hexagon to be the perfect shape because it isn’t flat like a square, can fit together better than circles, and is more space-efficient than triangles. Nature has a perfect example of this geometric shape in action as can be seen in beehives, particularly the honeycomb structures they form. While the real thing can be dangerous to children, bees are sometimes portrayed in fun and funny ways, especially given how hard they work and how well they guard their honey.

Hive Hex combines this shape and inspiration into a device that should be more interesting to use than even the sleekest and most minimalist calculator. The yellow color alone is eye-catching enough, but the puzzle-like hexagonal keys give a sense of whimsy and playfulness with their unbalanced composition, unlike the symmetrical arrangement of calculator buttons. That said, the non-standard layout of keys could prove to be confusing when the child “graduates” to grownup tools.

This toy-like yet functional calculator is a great example of how a bit of creative design can significantly change how a product appeals to different groups of people. Of course, some adults might criticize the use of calculators in the early stages of math education, but the calculator does more than just help kids solve number problems. The Hive Hex Toy Calculator could help give children a more lasting impression of how math doesn’t have to be boring or even scary, a positive attitude that they could carry with them throughout the rest of their lives.

The post Nature-inspired toy-like calculator tries to get kids more interested in math first appeared on Yanko Design.

A British boarding school will make students use boring old Nokia phones

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A lot of school districts have instituted smartphone bans for students during the school day but a British boarding school has taken it one step further. Wait, scratch that. They’ve taken it one step back.

Eton College, the historic and elite British boarding school with famous alumni such as Prince William and Harry, Ian Fleming and Tom Hiddleston, has instituted a new mobile phone policy for its first-year students starting in September. Those students will have to leave their smartphones at home but bring their SIM card to school and put it in an old school, offline Nokia cell phone with a simple number pad that can only make phone calls and send text messages, according to CBS News.

The British boarding school’s policy is based on guidelines from the UK government that allows principals to enact smartphone bans on students during the school day.

Let’s hope nobody tells school officials about Snake or those poor kids may have to actually pay attention and learn something.

Smartphone bans and guidelines are starting to seep into American school districts as well. According to data from Govspend, 41 states have at least one school district that instituted a rule requiring students to place their smartphones in magnetically sealed Yondr pouches when they go to school.

The Los Angeles Unified School District passed a district-wide school phone ban for students in June that prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom to call for a similar law on the state level.

Meanwhile in New York City, the city’s chancellor of public schools David Banks said he plans to institute a phone ban in the coming weeks. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is working with the state’s legislature to pass two new bills that would only allow students to carry phones that don’t have access internet access

Even Florida (yes, that Florida, the one that’s home to 10 million Florida Mans) has a statewide smartphone in schools ban that also requires schools to block students from accessing social media on its Wifi networks.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-british-boarding-school-will-make-students-use-boring-old-nokia-phones-215048983.html?src=rss

California Governor Gavin Newsom wants to restrict phone use in schools

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Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has issued a statement in support of efforts aiming to restrict the use of smartphones in schools within the state. As The New York Times reports, the governor aired his stance merely hours before board members at the Los Angeles Unified School District voted to pass a proposal for a school phone ban. Newsom said he will work with lawmakers "to restrict the use of smartphones during the school day" this summer, because children and teens "should be focused on their studies — not their screens."

The governor also mentioned and agreed with the US Surgeon General's op-ed published by The Times, wherein he said that social media platforms should be required to display warning labels from his office because they can significantly harm teenagers' mental health. In his piece, Vivek Murthy explained that the label "which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe."

Newsom said the rules he develops will build upon the directive he signed in 2019, which authorizes (but doesn't require) districts to adopt phone bans. If California does pass a law to ban the use of phone during school hours, it'll join Florida and Indiana in the list of states with similar legislation. Florida's schools are required to prevent their students from using their phones during class time, and some districts even require them to ban phone use until it's time for the students to go home. Other states are poised to follow suit. New York City designated social media as a public health hazard earlier this year, and Governor Kathy Hochul previously said that she would pursue phone restrictions for schools in the New York state next year.

While LA's board members ultimately passed the proposal for a phone ban, two members voted against it. One told The Times that he voted no because teachers are already having difficulties imposing existing restrictions in schools. Perhaps more importantly, he said that parents need to be able to contact their children during emergencies, like school shootings, echoing the concerns of parents who opposed phone bans in the past. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/california-governor-gavin-newsom-wants-to-restrict-phone-use-in-schools-120012532.html?src=rss

More than 1,000 students pledge not to work at Google and Amazon due to Project Nimbus

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No Tech for Apartheid (NOTA), a coalition of tech workers demanding big tech companies to drop their contracts with the Israeli government, is close to reaching its goal for a campaign asking students not to work with Google and Amazon. As Wired reports, more than 1,100 people who identified themselves as STEM students and young workers have taken the pledge to refuse jobs from the companies "for powering Israel's Apartheid system and genocide against Palestinians." Based on its website, NOTA's goal is to gather 1,200 signatures for the campaign. 

"As young people and students in STEM and beyond, we refuse to have any part in these horrific abuses. We’re joining the #NoTechForApartheid campaign to demand Amazon and Google immediately end Project Nimbus," part of the pledge reads. Google and Amazon won a $1.2 billion contract under Project Nimbus to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence services. A Google spokesperson previously denied that the company's Nimbus contract deals with "highly sensitive, classified or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services."

As two of the biggest tech companies on the planet, Google and Amazon are also two of the biggest employees of STEM graduates. Wired says the campaign's pledgers include undergraduate and graduate students from Stanford, UC Berkeley, the University of San Francisco and San Francisco State University — institutions located in the same state as Google's HQ. 

NOTA had also organized actions protesting tech companies' involvement with Israel in the past, including sit-ins and office takeovers that had led Google to fire dozens of workers. In March, one of its organizers was fired from Google after interrupting one of its executives at an Israeli tech conference in New York and loudly proclaiming that he refuses to "build technology that powers genocide or surveillance."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/more-than-1000-students-pledge-not-to-work-at-google-and-amazon-due-to-project-nimbus-042439081.html?src=rss

EU accuses Micrsoft of secretly collecting children’s data

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Microsoft is back under the microscope in the European Union, but Teams is finally not to blame. Austrian advocacy group Noyb has filed two complaints against Microsoft over operations of its 365 Education software in schools and children's privacy. The group is also responsible for past complaints against OpenAI, Meta, Spotify and more tech giants. 

Noyb alleges that Microsoft 365 Education "installed cookies that, according to Microsoft's own documentation, analyse user behaviour, collect browser data and are used for advertising" — without the school's knowledge. The advocacy group further alleges that Microsoft is "consistently vague" about what it's doing with the students' data and could be tracking children in secret.

"Our analysis of the data flows is very worrying. Microsoft 365 Education appears to track users regardless of their age," Felix Mikolasch, a data protection lawyer at Noyb, expressed in a statement. "This practice is likely to affect hundreds of thousands of pupils and students in the EU and EEA. Authorities should finally step up and effectively enforce the rights of minors."

Noyb also claims Microsoft is dumping its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) responsibilities on schools without providing them with any access or insight into its privacy policies or data collection. "Microsoft holds all the key information about data processing in its software, but is pointing the finger at schools when it comes to exercising rights," Maartje de Graaf, another data protection lawyer at Noyb, said in a statement. "Schools have no way of complying with the transparency and information obligations."

The GDPR sets out strict guidelines for protecting minors' data, focusing on extra protections for the individual, transparency and accountability. Violating the GDPR could lead to a fine of €20 million ($22 million) or four percent of a company's annual worldwide turnover the previous year — whichever is the larger amount.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-accuses-micrsoft-of-secretly-collecting-childrens-data-124141294.html?src=rss

OpenAI has a has a new version of ChatGPT just for universities

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OpenAI is bringing ChatGPT to college campuses across the country. On Thursday, the company announced ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT built specifically for students, academics, faculty. “ChatGPT Edu is designed for schools that want to deploy AI more broadly to students and their campus communities,” the company said in a blog post.

ChatGPT Edu includes access to GPT-4o, OpenAI’s latest large language model that the company revealed earlier this month. OpenAI claims that the model is much better than its previous versions at interpreting text, coding, and mathematics, analyzing data sets, and being able to access the web. ChatGPT Edu will also have significantly higher message limits than the free version of ChatGPT and allow universities to build custom versions of ChatGPT trained on their own data — confusingly called GPTs — and share them within university workspaces. OpenAI claims that conversations and data from ChatGPT Edu won’t be used to train OpenAI’s models.

Although the introduction of ChatGPT in late 2022 initially raised concerns about academic integrity and potential misuse in educational environments, universities have increasingly been experimenting with using generative AI for both teaching as well as research. OpenAI said that it built ChatGPT Edu after it saw Wharton, Arizona State University and Columbia among others using ChatGPT Enterprise.

MBA undergrads at Wharton, for instance, completed their final reflection assignments by training a GPT trained on course materials have having discussions with the chatbot, while Arizona State University is experimenting with its own GPTs that engage German conversations with students learning the language.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openai-has-a-has-a-new-version-of-chatgpt-just-for-universities-191350708.html?src=rss