New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran describes artificial intelligence as a double-edged sword in education. He argues that universities should focus on teaching critical thinking rather than job training, noting that AI can help draft a thesis but cannot defend it before professors. Corcoran, a former state Education Commissioner, says schools must manage AI tools carefully while still benefiting from efficiency gains. His remarks were shared in a video published on September 26, 2026.
Pepperdine University took a different approach by launching the Institute for Wisdom and AI during its sixth annual Human-Centered AI Conference. University president Jim Gash announced the new institute, which draws on Pepperdine's Christian mission to explore how AI can help humans flourish. The initiative brings together researchers, tech leaders, policymakers, and faith leaders to address major questions about AI's impact on human life.
Meanwhile, concerns about AI risks continue to mount. Bill Gates warned at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that artificial intelligence could lead to the deaths of a billion people. He called on the US government to intervene and prevent the creation of harmful AI systems. Gates joins figures like Elon Musk and Nick Bostrom in raising serious alarms about the pace of AI development.
On the policy front, US Representative Tom Kean Jr. introduced legislation requiring advanced AI systems to include a human-controlled shutdown mechanism. The bill, referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, would mandate a human-in-the-loop feature allowing a person to shut down an AI system when necessary. This follows a 2020 government review that flagged concerns about transparency and accountability in AI systems.
Research from Michigan State University raises questions about relying on AI for scientific detection. Researchers Ankit Gupta and Christoph Adami found that AI methods for detecting life may produce significant false positives, mistaking non-living samples for living ones with near 100% confidence. Their study, submitted to arXiv and accepted for the Alife 2026 proceedings, highlights a key vulnerability as scientists consider using AI to search for extraterrestrial life.
In other developments, Arizona State University participated in HackAlem, a world record-breaking AI hackathon held in Astana, Kazakhstan. The event brought together thousands of students and young professionals to use AI on a shared challenge. On the commercial side, some restaurants are using AI-generated food images on menus, with mixed results. The Fancy Induced Burger chain uses AI to enhance phone photos for menu boards, though marketing professor David Pullara warns that poorly executed AI imagery can hurt sales.
Key Takeaways
- New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran says AI is a double-edged sword in education and urges universities to prioritize critical thinking over job training.
- Pepperdine University launched the Institute for Wisdom and AI, announced by president Jim Gash, to explore how AI helps humans flourish.
- Bill Gates warned at Davos that AI could cause the deaths of a billion people and urged US government intervention.
- Elon Musk and Nick Bostrom join Gates in raising concerns about AI risks as development accelerates.
- Rep. Tom Kean Jr. introduced a bill requiring advanced AI systems to include a human-controlled shutdown mechanism.
- The Kean bill follows a 2020 government review that raised concerns about AI transparency and accountability.
- Michigan State University researchers found AI life-detection methods can produce false positives with near 100% confidence on non-living samples.
- The study by Ankit Gupta and Christoph Adami was submitted to arXiv and accepted for Alife 2026 proceedings.
- Arizona State University joined HackAlem, a world record-breaking AI hackathon in Astana, Kazakhstan, with thousands of participants.
- Restaurants including The Fancy Induced Burger use AI to enhance food photos, but poor-quality AI images can hurt sales according to expert David Pullara.
College president says AI can help or harm education
New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran says AI can be a great tool or a dangerous shortcut in schools. He believes universities should teach students critical thinking skills rather than just job training. Corcoran said AI helps schools run more efficiently but must be managed carefully. He noted that AI can help draft a thesis but cannot defend it before professors. Schools are still adapting their policies as AI technology continues to grow.
New College president discusses AI challenges in higher education
New College of Florida President and former state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran spoke about AI in higher education. He described AI as a double-edged sword that can sharpen critical thinking or replace it. Corcoran stressed the need for proper management of AI tools in universities. The video was published on September 26, 2026. He emphasized that universities must teach students how to think rather than prepare them for specific jobs.
ASU joins world record-breaking AI hackathon in Kazakhstan
Arizona State University took part in HackAlem, a world record-breaking AI hackathon held in Astana, Kazakhstan. The event brought together thousands of students and young professionals from around the world. Participants used artificial intelligence to tackle a shared challenge. ASU's involvement shows the university's dedication to innovation and shaping the future of AI. The hackathon highlighted how collaboration and AI can drive positive change globally.
Congressman Kean bills AI shutdown mechanism for advanced systems
U.S. Representative Tom Kean Jr. introduced a bill requiring advanced AI systems to include a human-controlled shutdown mechanism. The legislation would require developers to implement a human-in-the-loop feature allowing a person to shut down an AI system if needed. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Kean said the measure aims to ensure AI is developed with human safety in mind. This follows a 2020 government review that raised concerns about transparency and accountability in AI systems.
Study finds AI may falsely detect life in space samples
Researchers Ankit Gupta and Christoph Adami from Michigan State University found that AI methods for detecting life may produce significant false positives. Their study used Artificial Life research to show machine learning models can be fooled into detecting life with near 100% confidence even when a sample is not alive. This happens because AI easily mistakes out-of-distribution samples. Since extraterrestrial samples are likely very different from Earth samples, AI life detection could be unreliable. The paper was submitted to arXiv and accepted for the Alife 2026 proceedings.
Restaurants use AI food images that customers find unsettling
Some restaurants are using AI-generated images on menus and advertisements to save time and money. Customers have shared photos online showing rubbery sandwiches and odd-looking shrimp that appear to be AI-made. Marketing professor David Pullara says poorly done AI images can hurt a restaurant's sales. However, small businesses may benefit from using AI to tweak real food photos. One chain called The Fancy Induced Burger uses AI to enhance phone photos for their menu boards.
Stanford students protest after AI changes race in school photo
Stanford University is facing criticism for using artificial intelligence to alter the race of students in a photo used in an advertisement. Students expressed outrage over the decision to digitally change the appearance of the individuals in the image. The incident has raised broader concerns about how institutions use AI tools on real people. The university has not yet commented publicly on the controversy.
US and China compete for global influence in AI technology
The United States is urging other countries to choose sides in the growing AI race against China. China has made major investments in AI research and is advancing quickly in areas like computer vision and robotics. The US has been slower to respond and is struggling to keep up with Chinese innovation. Many countries find China's pitch more compelling than the American push. The rapid progress of Chinese AI has alarmed Washington about losing its technological lead.
Bill Gates warns AI could cause massive loss of life
Bill Gates warned that artificial intelligence could lead to the deaths of a billion people. He made the remarks during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Gates called on the US government to step in and prevent the creation of harmful AI. He joins other experts like Elon Musk and Nick Bostrom who have raised serious concerns about AI risks. The rapid pace of AI development continues to worry leaders around the world.
Pepperdine opens new institute exploring AI and human wisdom
Pepperdine University launched the Institute for Wisdom and AI at its sixth annual Human-Centered AI Conference. The institute is rooted in the university's Christian mission and will bring together researchers, tech leaders, policymakers, and faith leaders. Its goal is to explore what AI should do and how it can help humans flourish. University president Jim Gash announced the institute during his opening remarks. The initiative addresses major questions about AI's impact on human life.
Sources
- College president warns AI could strengthen education — or create dangerous shortcuts: 'It’s how we manage it'
- New College of Florida president breaks down AI’s 'double-edged sword' in higher ed
- ASU participates in world record-breaking AI hackathon
- Congressman Kean introduces bill requiring human-controlled shutdown mechanism for advanced AI systems
- Can AI Detect Life? Lessons From Artificial Life
- AI-generated food imagery at restaurants has some customers losing their appetites
- Video Students outraged after Stanford University uses AI to alter race in photo
- The US wants the world to pick a side on AI. But for many countries, China’s pitch may be more compelling
- Bill Gates warns AI could cause ‘a billion deaths’
- Pepperdine University Launches Institute for Wisdom and AI at Sixth Annual Human-Centered AI Conference
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