Although basic users of generative AI tools can access this technology for free, colleges and universities making big strides in AI must invest in hardware and software. One would expect higher ed institutions to be taking those steps, but AI labs—both physical and virtual—are popping up at a number of colleges of all types. What do in-person AI labs look like and how are they being used?

Microcredentials are increasingly popular in higher education and are attracting a new segment of students who want to upskill or prepare for a career, and state investments can make offering them more enticing for colleges. The global interest in industry-aligned credentials is growing -- 1 in 3 students surveyed already have a microcredential -- and at least 90% of employers surveyed note that employees with such credentials tend to have better, more relevant proficiency, according to a new Coursera report.

The Trump administration's first six months have significantly affected higher education, with actions such as cutting scientific research funding, clamping down on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and revoking international student visas. Among the campuses affected: The University of Texas at San Antonio has seen the cancellation of a key biomedical program, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Soybean Innovation Lab has lost funding, affecting research and jobs.

Associated Wholesale Grocers has partnered with the University of Illinois' Gies College of Business for the fourth year, completing data research projects that have produced analytics, strategy recommendations and an AI dashboard. One project analyzed AWG's Save-A-Label program data, resulting in a machine-learning dashboard to predict donations, while the other examined email marketing data to optimize content and timing.