In this semester-in-review episode, the hosts step back to reflect on what the first months of the podcast have revealed about the accelerating pace of artificial intelligence—and why higher education sits at the center of this transformation.From the rapid evolution of frontier models (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok) to breakthroughs in multimodality, world models, robotics, and workplace automation, the conversation traces how AI capabilities are already reshaping research, teaching, knowledge work, and society at large. The episode also explores growing resistance and backlash to AI, regulatory tensions, and the profound implications for universities facing demographic, economic, and curricular pressures.The discussion closes by looking ahead: predictions for 2026 and beyond, the future of AI literacy and learning, the rise of AI-native institutions, and what educators, students, and leaders must do now to prepare for a rapidly changing world.Chapter Titles with Time Codes00:00 – Welcome & Why This Semester Mattered01:00 – AI as the Defining Force of This Era02:10 – The Model Arms Race: GPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok03:45 – Can AI Generate New Knowledge?04:55 – Multimodality, Video, and IP Battles06:40 – Rethinking Prompting, Creativity, and Visual Reasoning08:00 – World Models, Physics, and the Path Toward AGI09:20 – Vibe Coding and the Future of Software Creation10:45 – AI in the Workplace: Speed, Cost, and Disruption12:05 – Robotics at Scale: Lessons from China13:40 – Research, Writing, and Hallucination Reduction15:45 – Professional Exams and Real-World Competence17:00 – Platform Convergence: ChatGPT Meets Adobe18:10 – Translation, Speech, and Frictionless Communication19:05 – Benefits vs. Backlash21:00 – Cultural Anxiety and AI Pushback23:55 – Government, Regulation, and Power Struggles25:25 – Higher Education at a Crossroads27:20 – Teaching AI in Practice29:00 – Guests, Themes, and What We Learned33:15 – Looking Toward 2026: Agents, Energy, and AGI38:35 – The Skills That Will Matter Most42:30 – Degrees, Credentials, and Changing Signals46:20 – Rethinking Curriculum for an AI World53:20 – Predictions: Education, Society, and AI’s Next Phase1:04:00 – Closing Reflections & Looking Ahead to Spring 2026#AIinHigherEd #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfEducation #EdTech #AIandSociety #WorkforceTransformation #AILiteracy #AGI #HigherEducationLeadership #FutureOfWork