IBL News

Category: Top News

  • NVIDIA’s CEO Announces It Will Open-Source Its AI Models and Data

    NVIDIA’s CEO Announces It Will Open-Source Its AI Models and Data


    IBL News | New York

    NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang shared this week at the CES Show in Las Vegas how the next generation of accelerated computing and AI will transform every industry.

    At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (CES), the leader of the world’s most valuable company said that the company’s next-generation chips, now in full production, will deliver five times the AI computing power of previous chips when serving AI apps.

    The Vera Rubin platform, comprising six separate Nvidia chips, is expected to debut later this year.

    Much of Jensen Huang’s speech focused on how well the new chips would perform for that task, including a new storage layer called “context memory storage” aimed at helping chatbots provide snappier responses to long questions and conversations.

    Huang highlighted new software that can help autonomous vehicles make decisions about which path to take. NVIDIA showed research on software called Alpamayo late last year, saying on Monday it would be released more widely, along with the data used to train it, so that automakers can evaluate it.

    This year, Mercedes-Benz will begin shipping CLA model cars equipped with Nvidia self-driving technology comparable to Tesla’s Autopilot.

    “Not only do we open-source the models, but we also open-source the data that we use to train those models, because only in that way can you truly trust how the models came to be,” Huang said from a stage in Las Vegas.

    While Google is a major Nvidia customer, its own chips have emerged as one of Nvidia’s most significant threats, given Google’s close ties with Meta Platforms.

  • OpenAI Invites Developers to Submit Apps to ChatGPT

    OpenAI Invites Developers to Submit Apps to ChatGPT

    IBL News | New York

    OpenAI invited developers this month to submit apps for review and publication in ChatGPT.

    Currently, apps extend ChatGPT’s capabilities by taking actions such as ordering groceries, turning outlines into slide decks, or searching for an apartment.

    OpenAI is also introducing an app directory directly from chatgpt.com/apps or right inside ChatGPT. Users can browse featured apps or search for any published app.

    Once users connect to apps, those apps can be triggered during conversations when they are @-mentioned by name or selected from the tools menu.

    Developers can use the Apps SDK—now in beta—to build chat-native experiences that bring context and action directly into ChatGPT.

    Once ready, developers can submit apps for review and track approval status in the OpenAI Developer Platform⁠. Submissions have to include MCP connectivity details, testing guidelines, directory metadata, and country availability settings.

    The first set of approved apps will begin rolling out gradually in the new year.

    • What makes a great ChatGPT app⁠
    • Open-source example apps
    • Open-sourced UI library⁠ for chat-native interfaces
    • Quickstart guide⁠

  • Fifteen Colleges Closed Down and Seven Merged in 2025 Amidst Declining Enrollment

    Fifteen Colleges Closed Down and Seven Merged in 2025 Amidst Declining Enrollment

    IBL News | New York

    As the higher ed industry navigated rising operating costs, federal funding freezes, and caps on student loan programs, fifteen nonprofit institutions, including seven campuses from the Pennsylvania State Commonwealth, announced closures in 2025, according to Inside Higher Ed.

    In 2024, the number of closures was sixteen, and in 2023, fourteen.

    Of the other eight colleges that announced closures, five were religiously affiliated.

    Enrollment at colleges that announced closures ranged from nearly 2,000 students to fewer than 100. Most had seen enrollment tanking for years while operating costs continued to rise, creating untenable deficits.

    Next year is also likely to be challenging for higher education; three credit rating agencies issued unfavorable outlooks for 2026.

    Here are colleges that announced closures this year:

    • Northland College, a small private college

    • St. Andrews University, a private North Carolina campus, is a branch of Florida-based Webber International University

    • Limestone University, a Christian university in South Carolina

    • Bacone College, a private institution in rural Oklahoma

    • Seven Penn State Commonwealth Campuses in Dubois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York.

    • Siena Heights University, a Catholic institution in Michigan

    • The King’s College, an Evangelical college in New York City

    • Trinity Christian College, a private college outside of Chicago

    • Sterling College, a tiny work college in Vermont

    The above list does not include Martin University, which paused operations earlier this month and appears on the brink of closure.

    As some colleges closed, others merged with or were absorbed by larger institutions. Inside Higher Ed tracked seven college mergers and acquisitions announced this year, down from 12 in 2024.

    • Villanova University will absorb a larger institution, Rosemont College

    • The University System Board of Regents approved a merger between two of its members in April, an arrangement that will see East Georgia become part of the larger Georgia Southern.

    • Russell Sage College and Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences announced a merger in April.

    • Kean University and New Jersey City University, two public universities in New Jersey, struck an agreement to begin merger negotiations.

    • Morningside University will absorb St. Luke’s College in Iowa.

    • Elon University and Queens University of Charlotte, in North Carolina, announced they plan to merge.

    • Pacific University and Willamette University announced earlier this month that they are exploring a merger, which would create the largest private institution in Oregon, the University of the Northwest.

  • Forbes Selected Ten Educational Platforms Who Made Waves During 2025

    Forbes Selected Ten Educational Platforms Who Made Waves During 2025

    IBL News | New York

    According to Forbes, ten educational platforms made waves during 2025 by reducing friction, clarifying thinking, and supporting better judgment. These tools didn’t try to replace educators or redesign schooling overnight.

    “The most effective platforms respected teaching, reduced mental load, and helped educators make better decisions. The year was about technology that was beginning to fit the reality of education,” wrote Forbes.

    1. ChatGPT for Education
    Access to the latest model seats alongside file uploads, search, image generation, and connectors for Google Drive, Microsoft 365, and Canva.

    The tool of memory, combined with admin controls, secure access, and district partnerships, became one of the clearest examples of AI built around teachers rather than around novelty.

    2. NotebookLM from Google
    With the new Gemini 3 powering it, reasoning and multimodal understanding improved noticeably, and it became embedded in Google Workspace for Education.

    New features such as video overviews, multilingual audio summaries, and deep research tools changed how documents were used.

    3. Canva Magic Studio for Education
    Magic Studio for Education expanded in ways that felt practical rather than experimental.

    Teachers created lessons, slides, worksheets, and activities quickly from short prompts. AI tools were embedded directly into the editor, assignments, and Sheets, rather than being bolt-on additions.

    4. Kahoot
    Notes, documents, web pages, and topics could be turned into quizzes, revision tools, and short learning sequences.

    Features such as exam question extraction, guided problem-solving, offline study, and test simulation, along with motivation tools like streaks and study groups, made it powerful in students’ hands.

    5. Superhuman Go
    Built by Grammarly, it supported writing, research, instructional design, and workflows through AI agents. Its first major deployment arrived through a partnership with Arizona State University in October.

    6. Copilot Teach
    Developed by Microsoft, it allowed educators to create lessons, rubrics, quizzes, and study materials within the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. Content could be adjusted for reading level, difficulty, length, and language.

    Planning tools supported lesson design, and assessment tools helped turn materials into interactive resources.

    7. Claude for Education
    Created by Anthropic, Claude for Education focused on responsible use. Its learning mode encouraged students to think through problems rather than receive answers. Early adopters were Northeastern University, the London School of Economics, and Champlain College.

    8. Brisk Teaching
    This platform enabled planning, activities, and assessment, while teachers could adapt content instantly, assign work without logins, monitor progress in real time, and provide rapid feedback.

    9. SchoolAI
    The introduction of Dot as an embedded assistant, alongside PowerUps such as flashcards, games, mind mapping, translation, and image tools, expanded the platform’s capabilities.

    10. Olex.AI
    Olex.AI’s Writing Framework PowerPack helped schools embed England’s national writing framework in a way that teachers could teach, pupils could use, and leaders could evidence.

    Developed with Dr Tim Mills MBE, it demonstrated how AI can support the British system’s national policy rather than work around it.

  • Most AI Startups Make Money by Selling to Businesses Rather than Consumers

    Most AI Startups Make Money by Selling to Businesses Rather than Consumers

    IBL News | New York

    Three years after the generative AI boom began, most AI consumer startups still make money by selling to businesses rather than individual consumers.

    This is one of the primary outcomes of TechCrunch’s StrictlyVC event in early December, where venture capitalists discussed why most consumer AI startups still lack staying power.

    “A lot of early AI applications around video, audio, and photo were super cool, but then Sora and Nano Banana came out, and the Chinese open-sourced their video models. And so, a lot of those opportunities disappeared,” said Chi-Hua Chien, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Goodwater Capital.

    “I think we’re right on the cusp of the equivalent of mobile of the 2009-2010 era,” Chien said. That period was the birth of massive mobile-first consumer businesses like Uber and Airbnb.

    Startups and incumbent tech companies highlighted the idea of a new personal device that could replace smartphones.

    OpenAI and Apple’s former design chief, Jonny Ive, are working on what’s rumored to be a “screenless,” pocket-sized device. Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses are controlled by a wristband that detects subtle gestures. Meanwhile, some startups are trying, with often disappointing results, to introduce a pin, pendant, or ring that uses AI in a way different from how smartphones do.

  • The George Washington University Launches its GW Engineering AI Academy

    The George Washington University Launches its GW Engineering AI Academy

    IBL News | New York

    The George Washington University launched its GW Engineering AI Academy in November to equip faculty to lead change through AI fluency and an entrepreneurial mindset.

    This strategic initiative aims to position the GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science as an AI-forward institution, taking a leadership position.

    “We’re building AI literacy across our school, moving from uncertainty to confidence, from tools to workflows, and from passive adoption to intentional innovation,” said Professor Lorena Barba, GW Engineering AI Academy Director.

    “The entrepreneurial mindset aids in challenging the status quo, recognizing opportunities at the intersection of disparate concepts, and solving complex problems to drive meaningful societal impact and human flourishing. Our vision is: AI Literacy as the Foundation for Transformation.”

    The integration of AI literacy with the Entrepreneurial Mindset is a framework championed by the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN), of which GW is a partner. This framework follows “a set of attitudes, habits, and behaviors conducive to problem-solving, innovation, and value creation, especially in engineering contexts.”

    “The result of this initiative is engineering education that prepares students not just to use AI, but to shape how AI serves humanity,” explained Lorena Barba.

    For the inaugural session with the first faculty cohort, the GW Engineering AI Academy focused on AI Workflows, exploring how to move from being an AI “operator” to an AI “manager, orchestrating a team of digital specialists.

    The second session focused on context management by curating and maintaining an optimal information bank available in everyone’s AI assistant.

  • The Trump Administration Dismisses the Risks of AI as It Pursues Faster Economic Growth

    The Trump Administration Dismisses the Risks of AI as It Pursues Faster Economic Growth

    IBL News | New York

    The Trump Administration is dismissing the risks of AI — from mass job losses to a potential financial bubble — as it is chasing faster growth and cheers soaring stock prices.

    Asked whether he harbors any fears about an emerging bubble that can damage the economy, President Trump recently said, “No. I love AI.”

    In an elaborated report, The New York Times concludes that the president and his top aides have fully embraced AI and showered its leading corporate backers with money and regulatory support.

    That optimism was on display on Tuesday, after the federal government reported that the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of more than 4 percent last quarter.

    Kevin Hassett, the director of the White House National Economic Council, said the new data indicated the president’s broader agenda was working, as he touted signs of a “boom” in AI.

    However, many economists and even some technologists in Silicon Valley say that AI might cause significant job losses and pose a risk of financial havoc.

    President Trump, who has long viewed the stock market as a barometer of his economic success, has celebrated the soaring stock prices of major technology companies like Nvidia.

    Through a series of executive orders, signed over the last 11 months, Mr. Trump has moved to eliminate regulatory guardrails and make it easier for tech companies to build data centers, power their operations, sell computer chips, and source critical materials.

    He has done so under the advisement of David Sacks, a Silicon Valley investor now serving at the White House, who has publicly likened AI skeptics to a “doomer cult.”

    For now, economic data show no mass firings due to AI. But it also proves how it is reshaping the labor force, particularly for younger Americans, including recent college graduates.

    A study from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that companies embracing AI in the region mainly opted to retrain their workers, rather than let people go. More striking, however, was the slow rate at which these companies were hiring new workers, especially for college-educated positions.

    The New York Fed’s report also found that adoption disproportionately reduced employment for workers ages 22 to 25 in industries set to be highly affected by the technology.

    This month, President Trump signed a directive that restricted states from imposing their own regulations on the technology.

  • ChatGPT Dominates Usage at Universities, Followed by Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude

    ChatGPT Dominates Usage at Universities, Followed by Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude

    IBL News | New York

    OpenAI has sold over 700,000 ChatGPT licenses to about 35 public universities for use by students and faculty, according to Bloomberg.

    Among those public universities, Arizona State University and the California State University system have purchased licenses to OpenAI.

    Google’s Gemini AI and Microsoft Copilot are expanding their campus presence, but ChatGPT currently has the highest student adoption.

    Bloomberg noted that OpenAI is offering discounted products to students to turn them into customers.

    Schools willing to purchase bulk access to ChatGPT are also offered discounted pricing below the $20 per month that OpenAI typically charges for a smaller number of educational users. For corporate customers, ChatGPT can cost up to $60 each month.

    According to Copyleaks’ 2025 AI in Education Trends report, ChatGPT dominates usage at 74%, followed by Google Gemini (43%), Grammarly/GrammarlyGO (38%), Microsoft Copilot (29%), Claude (25%), and Perplexity (16%).

    Nearly 90% of U.S. school students report using AI for schoolwork, with 29% relying on it daily and 24% several times per week.

    Usage is rising, with 73% saying they engage with AI more frequently this year than last, signaling ongoing growth rather than plateauing adoption.

  • Institutions, In a Hurry Up to Comply with the Disabilities Act of 2024

    Institutions, In a Hurry Up to Comply with the Disabilities Act of 2024

    IBL News | New York

    Universities and public colleges are in a hurry to make their webpages, online course content, and mobile apps accessible to people with disabilities by April 2026 to meet compliance guidelines and requirements.

    The Department of Justice gave institutions two years to comply with its regulations under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), effective April 2024.

    Experts in Higher Ed said that this Act will require serious time and financial investment, making it prohibitive for many institutions.

    Compliance requires publicly funded entities to ensure that all web and media content — thousands of webpages — adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

    It means every PDF file must be accessible, captions and audio descriptions must accompany every video, and every sound clip must be paired with a transcript.

    Faculty have to make course materials accessible, and any third-party tech platform from vendors must also be compliant.

    The consequences of not responding are severe, as the DOJ has taken a larger role in enforcing civil rights laws in higher ed under the second Trump administration. Also, legal and activist groups can sue noncompliant institutions.

    Some experts have pointed out that the White House can use the new rules in its negotiations with higher ed institutions, given the widespread lack of preparation.

  • Anthropic Will Release Its Agents Skills Technology as an Open Standard

    Anthropic Will Release Its Agents Skills Technology as an Open Standard

    IBL News | New York

    Anthropic said last week that it would release its Agents Skills technology as an open standard, with a reference SDK available at agentskills.io.

    To date, Microsoft has adopted Agent Skills in VS Code and GitHub and has coding initiatives such as Cursor, Goose, Amp, and OpenCode, among others.

    At their core, Agent Skills are folders containing instructions, scripts, and resources that tell AI systems how to perform specific tasks consistently, using reusable modules, rather than requiring elaborate prompts each time. It’s a new way to build specialized agents using files and folders.

    Each skill takes only a few dozen tokens to summarize the context window, with full details loading only when the task requires them.

    This architecture allows for the deployment of extensive skill libraries without overwhelming the AI’s working memory.

    The coding community has received the tools very well, awarding the skills repository on GitHub with 30,000 stars.

    Atlassian’s Jira and Confluence, Figma, Canva, Stripe, and Zapier are participating as partnering developers in the launch of Skills.

    It’s a mutually beneficial ecosystem similar to the MCP connector partner relationship.

    The Skills approach is a shift from the AI industry’s approach of building specialized agents for different use cases — a customer service agent, a coding agent, a research agent. Skills suggest a different model: one general-purpose agent equipped with a library of specialized capabilities.

    This insight has significant implications for enterprise software development. Rather than building and maintaining multiple specialized AI systems, organizations can invest in creating and curating skills that encode their institutional knowledge and best practices.

    To activate skills, developers need to write a SKILL.md file with custom guidance for their agent. As mentioned, a skill is a directory containing a SKILL.md file that includes organized folders of instructions, scripts, and resources, giving agents additional capabilities.

     

    • Blog: Skills for organizations, partners, the ecosystem