L&D Global Sentiment Survey 2026 — from linkedin.com by Donald H. Taylor
On 10/21/2025,
in 21st century, Africa, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, Australia, Canada, ethics, Europe, human-computer interaction (HCI), India, intelligent systems, legislatures / government / legal, mathematics, platforms, programming, science, society, surviving, UK, United States,
by Daniel Christian
International AI Safety Report — from internationalaisafetyreport.org
About the International AI Safety Report
The International AI Safety Report is the world’s first comprehensive review of the latest science on the capabilities and risks of general-purpose AI systems. Written by over 100 independent experts and led by Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio, it represents the largest international collaboration on AI safety research to date. The Report gives decision-makers a shared global picture of AI’s risks and impacts, serving as the authoritative reference for governments and organisations developing AI policies worldwide. It is already shaping debates and informing evidence-based decisions across research and policy communities.
On 10/01/2025,
in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, blogs / blogging / vlogging, Canada, colleges, community colleges, faculty/staff, higher education, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, lifelong learning, skills, society, strategy,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
As usual, here are some solid items and reflections from Stephen Downes:
The AI Tsunami Is Here: Reinventing Education for the Age of AI — from downes.ca by Stephen Downes
The framework seems reasonable, overall, but I would have to ask why the model, which includes things like “dynamic, adaptive content” and “multiple perspectives and sources” and “cultivation of self-directed learning” needs to happen in a university as such. Why not develop something like this as a society-wide initiative, removing the barriers for entry, and making it an ongoing part of people’s lives?
From DSC:
Why not develop something like this as a society-wide initiative, removing the barriers for entry, and making it an ongoing part of people’s lives?
Artificial Intelligence in Educational Research and Scholarship: Seven Framings — from downes.ca by Stephen Downes
There are those who draw a sharp distinction between formal academic papers and blog posts, and then there’s me, who reads something like this (16-page PDF), and sees nothing more than a set of short blog posts, where “writing was conducted in a sprint over the summer of 2025 using a shared Google doc.” I’m not saying this is bad (though the resulting article is a bit loose and unfocused) but I remind readers that academic research in this domain should properly consider, and credit, not only formal journal articles, but also the original blogs where so many of the ideas are originally posted.
From DSC:
Preach it Stephen! Blogging counts — big time! In fact, I wish that many more faculty members, staff, provosts, and presidents would blog to publically share their thinking, knowledge, and reflections.
On 09/17/2025,
in 21st century, Africa, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, Australia, business, Canada, career development, change, corporate / business world, emerging technologies, Europe, experimentation, India, legislatures / government / legal, society, UK, United States, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
3 Work Trends – Issue 87 — from the World Economic Forum
1. #AI adoption is delivering real results for early movers
Three years into the generative AI revolution, a small but growing group of global companies is demonstrating the tangible potential of AI. Among firms with revenues of $1 billion or more:
- 17% report cost savings or revenue growth of at least 10% from AI.
- Almost 80% say their AI investments have met or exceeded expectations.
- Half worry they are not moving fast enough and could fall behind competitors.
The world’s first AI cabinet member — from therundown.ai by Zach Mink, Rowan Cheung, Shubham Sharma, Joey Liu & Jennifer Mossalgue
PLUS: Startup produces 3,000 AI podcast episodes weekly
The details:
- Prime Minister Edi Rama unveiled Diella during a cabinet announcement this week, calling her the first member “virtually created by artificial intelligence”.
- The AI avatar will evaluate and award all public tenders where the government contracts private firms.
- Diella already serves citizens through Albania’s digital services portal, processing bureaucratic requests via voice commands.
- Rama claims the AI will eliminate bribes and threats from decision-making, though the government hasn’t detailed what human oversight will exist.
The Rundown AI’s article links to:
- Albania appoints world’s first AI-made minister — from politico.eu by Alice Taylor
Diella, who is powered by artificial intelligence, will handle public procurement.
Anthropic Economic Index report: Uneven geographic and enterprise AI adoption — from anthropic.com
In other words, a hallmark of early technological adoption is that it is concentrated—in both a small number of geographic regions and a small number of tasks in firms. As we document in this report, AI adoption appears to be following a similar pattern in the 21st century, albeit on shorter timelines and with greater intensity than the diffusion of technologies in the 20th century.
To study such patterns of early AI adoption, we extend the Anthropic Economic Index along two important dimensions, introducing a geographic analysis of Claude.ai conversations and a first-of-its-kind examination of enterprise API use. We show how Claude usage has evolved over time, how adoption patterns differ across regions, and—for the first time—how firms are deploying frontier AI to solve business problems.
How human-centric AI can shape the future of work — from weforum.org by Sapthagiri Chapalapalli
- Last year, use of AI in the workplace increased by 5.5% in Europe alone.
- AI adoption is accelerating, but success depends on empowering people, not just deploying technology.
- Redesigning roles and workflows to combine human creativity and critical thinking with AI-driven insights is key.
Organizations are having to rapidly adapt their business models. Image: TCS
Using ChatGPT to get a job — from linkedin.com by Ishika Rawat
On 07/30/2025,
in Access to Justice (A2J), blogs / blogging / vlogging, business, Canada, change, changing business models, copyright/ownership/NFTs, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, dangers of the status quo, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, ethics, experimentation, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, intelligent systems, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, morals/values, platforms, skills, technology (general), the downsides of how people use tech, tools, trends, United States, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
Recurring Themes In Bob Ambrogi’s 30 Years of Legal Tech Reporting (A Guest Post By ChatGPT) — from lawnext.com by ChatGPT
#legaltech #innovation #law #legal #innovation #vendors #lawyers #lawfirms #legaloperations
- Evolution of Legal Technology: From Early Web to AI Revolution
- Challenges in Legal Innovation and Adoption
- Law Firm Innovation vs. Corporate Legal Demand: Shifting Dynamics
- Tracking Key Technologies and Players in Legal Tech
- Access to Justice, Ethics, and Regulatory Reform
Also re: legaltech, see:
How LegalTech is Changing the Client Experience in 2025 — from techbullion.com by Uzair Hasan
A Digital Shift in Law
In 2025, LegalTech isn’t a trend—it’s a standard. Tools like client dashboards, e-signatures, AI legal assistants, and automated case tracking are making law firms more efficient and more transparent. These systems also help reduce errors and save time. For clients, it means less confusion and more control.
For example, immigration law—a field known for paperwork and long processing times—is being transformed through tech. Clients now track their case status online, receive instant updates, and even upload key documents from their phones. Lawyers, meanwhile, use AI tools to spot issues faster, prepare filings quicker, and manage growing caseloads without dropping the ball.
Loren Locke, Founder of Locke Immigration Law, explains how tech helps simplify high-stress cases:
“As a former consular officer, I know how overwhelming the visa process can feel. Now, we use digital tools to break down each step for our clients—timelines, checklists, updates—all in one place. One client recently told me it was the first time they didn’t feel lost during their visa process. That’s why I built my firm this way: to give people clarity when they need it most.”
While not so much legaltech this time, Jordan’s article below is an excellent, highly relevant posting for what we are going through — at least in the United States:
What are lawyers for? — from jordanfurlong.substack.com by Jordan Furlong
We all know lawyers’ commercial role, to be professional guides for human affairs. But we also need lawyers to bring the law’s guarantees to life for people and in society. And we need it right now.
The question “What are lawyers for?” raises another, prior and more foundational question: “What is the law for?”
…
But there’s more. The law also exists to regulate power in a society: to structure its distribution, create processes for its implementation, and place limits on its application. In a healthy society, power flows through the law, not around it. Certainly, we need to closely examine and evaluate those laws — the exercise of power through a biased or corrupted system will be illegitimate even if it’s “lawful.” But as a general rule, the law is available as a check on the arbitrary exercise of power, whether by a state authority or a private entity.
And above these two aspects of law’s societal role, I believe there’s also a third: to serve as a kind of “moral architecture” of society.
On 07/06/2025,
in Australia, Canada, culture, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, Europe, face-to-face, game-changing environment, generational differences, global / globalization, legislatures / government / legal, society, UK, United States,
by Daniel Christian
Multiple Countries Just Issued Travel Warnings for the U.S. — from mensjournal.com by Rachel Dillin
In a rare reversal, several of America’s closest allies are now warning their citizens about traveling to the U.S., and it could impact your next trip.
For years, the U.S. has issued cautionary travel advisories to citizens heading overseas. But in a surprising twist, the roles have flipped. Several countries, including longtime allies like Australia, Canada, and the U.K., are now warning their citizens about traveling to the United States, according to Yahoo.
Australia updated its advisory in June, flagging gun violence, civil protests, and unpredictable immigration enforcement. While its guidance remains at Level 1 (“exercise normal safety precautions”), Australian officials urged travelers to stay alert in crowded places like malls, transit hubs, and public venues. They also warned about the Visa Waiver Program, noting that U.S. authorities can deny entry without explanation.
From DSC:
I’ve not heard of a travel warning against the U.S. in my lifetime. Thanks Trump. Making America Great Again. Sure thing….
On 04/09/2025,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Africa, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, bots, business, Canada, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, communities of practice, computer science, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, digital learning, economics, education, education technology, emerging technologies, ethics, Europe, experimentation, faculty/staff, future, game-changing environment, global / globalization, health, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, intelligent systems, learning ecosystem, legislatures / government / legal, mathematics, morals/values, platforms, policy, research, science, society, trends, United States, universities, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
The 2025 AI Index Report — from Stanford University’s Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Lab (hai.stanford.edu); item via The Neuron
Top Takeaways
- AI performance on demanding benchmarks continues to improve.
- AI is increasingly embedded in everyday life.
- Business is all in on AI, fueling record investment and usage, as research continues to show strong productivity impacts.
- The U.S. still leads in producing top AI models—but China is closing the performance gap.
- The responsible AI ecosystem evolves—unevenly.
- Global AI optimism is rising—but deep regional divides remain.
- …and several more
Also see:
- 12 Graphs That Explain the State of AI in 2025 — from by Eliza Strickland; item via The Neuron
Stanford’s AI Index tracks performance, investment, public opinion, and more
The Neuron’s take on this:
So, what should you do? You really need to start trying out these AI tools. They’re getting cheaper and better, and they can genuinely help save time or make work easier—ignoring them is like ignoring smartphones ten years ago.
Just keep two big things in mind:
- Making the next super-smart AI costs a crazy amount of money and uses tons of power (seriously, they’re buying nuclear plants and pushing coal again!).
- Companies are still figuring out how to make AI perfectly safe and fair—cause it still makes mistakes.
So, use the tools, find what helps you, but don’t trust them completely.
We’re building this plane mid-flight, and Stanford’s report card is just another confirmation that we desperately need better safety checks before we hit major turbulence.
Addendum on 4/16:
On 04/09/2025,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Canada, career development, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, education technology, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, Europe, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, law schools, Legal operations, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, tools, United States, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
The 2025 ABA Techshow Startup Alley Pitch Competition Ended In A Tie – Here Are The Winners — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi
This year, two startups ended up with an equal number of votes for the top spot:
- Case Crafter, a company from Norway that helps legal professionals build compelling visual timelines based on case files and evidence.
- Querious, a product that provides attorneys with real-time insights during client conversations into legal issues, relevant content, and suggested questions and follow-ups.
.
DC: If https://t.co/c3Io6EqFds can do this with legal-related conversations, what about with lectures & learning-related applications of this?
Querious transforms client conversations with real-time legal insights while reducing non-billable administrative tasks.#legaltech #AI pic.twitter.com/s0r9o4N89q
— Daniel S. Christian (@dchristian5) April 9, 2025
AI academy gives law students a head start on legal tech, says OBA innovator — from canadianlawyermag.com by Branislav Urosevic
The Ontario Bar Association has recently launched a hands-on AI learning platform tailored for lawyers. Called the AI Academy, the initiative is designed to help legal professionals explore, experiment with, and adopt AI tools relevant to their practice.
Colin Lachance, OBA’s innovator-in-residence and the lead designer of the platform, says that although the AI Academy was built for practising lawyers, it is also well-suited for law students.
On 04/07/2025,
in Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), Canada, Daniel S. Christian, ethics, faculty/staff, future, game-changing environment, law schools, Legal operations, legislatures / government / legal, morals/values, society, United States,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I value our constitutional democracy and I want to help preserve it. If you are an American, I encourage you to do the same. I’m not interested in living under an authoritarian government. The founders of this great nation developed an important document that integrated a system of checks and balances between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government. The rule of law was important then, and it should still be important now. That’s why I’m posting the following two items.
Several Hundred Law Professors File Amicus Brief Defending Biglaw Firms Against Trump’s Executive Order Attacks — from jdjournal.com by Maria Lenin Laus
In an unprecedented show of solidarity, over 300 law professors from leading American law schools have filed an amicus brief condemning former President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting major law firms. The professors argue that the orders—issued in retaliation for the firms’ clients, diversity initiatives, and legal work opposing Trump policies—represent a dangerous abuse of executive power and a direct violation of constitutional protections.
…
The amicus brief, filed in support of the law firms’ challenge, was signed by professors from nearly every top-tier U.S. law school, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, and the University of Chicago. The professors argue that Trump’s orders:
- Violate the First Amendment by penalizing firms for the viewpoints they express through advocacy and representation;
- Undermine the rule of law by discouraging legal professionals from taking on controversial or unpopular clients;
- Set a dangerous precedent for political retaliation against attorneys and the institutions of justice.
Law school deans around the country react to Trump’s undercutting the legal foundations/principles of our nation — from linkedin.com by Georgetown University Law Center
“We write to reaffirm basic principles: The government should not punish lawyers and law firms for the clients they represent, absent specific findings that such representation was illegal or unethical. Punishing lawyers for their representation and advocacy violates the First Amendment and undermines the Sixth Amendment.
We thus speak as legal educators, responsible for training the next generation of lawyers, in condemning any government efforts to punish lawyers or their firms based on the identity of their clients or for their zealous lawful and ethical advocacy.”
For related postings, also see:
President’s Third Term Talk Defies Constitution and Tests Democracy — from nytimes.com by Peter Baker (DSC: This is a free/gifted article for you.)
The 22nd Amendment is clear: President Trump has to give up his office after his second term. But his refusal to accept that underscores how far he is willing to consider going to consolidate power.
“This is in my mind a culmination of what he has already started, which is a methodical effort to destabilize and undermine our democracy so that he can assume much greater power,” Representative Daniel Goldman, Democrat of New York and lead counsel during Mr. Trump’s first impeachment, said in an interview.
“A lot of people are not talking about it because it’s not the most pressing issue of that particular day,” he said on Friday as stock markets were plunging in reaction to Mr. Trump’s newly declared trade war. But an attack on democracy, he added, “is actually in motion and people need to recognize that it is not hypothetical or speculative anymore.”
…
Mr. Trump’s autocratic tendencies and disregard for constitutional norms are well documented. In this second term alone, he has already sought to overrule birthright citizenship embedded in the 14th Amendment, effectively co-opted the power of Congress to determine what money will be spent or agencies closed, purged the uniformed leadership of the armed forces to enforce greater personal loyalty and punished dissent in academia, the news media, the legal profession and the federal bureaucracy.
BigLaw gives up on its future — from jordanfurlong.substack.com by Jordan Furlong
By putting business ahead of the rule of law when faced with assaults on their independence, many large US law firms have tarnished their reputations. Tomorrow’s lawyers could make them pay the price.
Two young Skadden associates, Rachel Cohen and Brenna Trout Frey, resigned from the firm, the former before its deal with Trump and the latter afterwards. “If my employer cannot stand up for the rule of law,” wrote Ms. Frey, “then I cannot ethically continue to work for them.” There might’ve been other public resignations I haven’t seen, but I’m confident there have been private ones from both firms, as well as intense efforts by other associates to find positions elsewhere.
This is the risk these firms are taking: It matters to young lawyers when their law firms fail to defend the rule of law. And it matters especially to young lawyers who are women and members of visible minorities when law firms jettison their vaunted diversity, equity, and inclusion programs under pressure from the government.