Meta was kind enough to extend an invitation for me to attend its inaugural LlamaCon—a one-day developer summit devoted to the Llama family of open-source large language models. It offered the chance to better understand the direction in which both the technology and its surrounding ecosystem are moving, and therefore merits a close read by anyone shaping AI strategy or policy.

AI is advancing faster than anyone expected — and the 2025 AI Index Report proves it. From AI models matching Nobel-level intellect to a 280x drop in computing costs, Stanford’s latest report maps the jaw-dropping acceleration of AI capabilities. The U.S. still leads in AI models and private investment, but China is closing the quality gap—and fast. Meanwhile, AI-driven labs are already making major scientific breakthroughs, like designing nanobodies to fight COVID-19, and outperforming doctors in diagnostic accuracy.

AI is transforming the workplace by enhancing collaboration, speeding up tasks, and expanding access to expertise. A Harvard-Wharton-P&G study found individuals using AI performed as well as human teams, and AI-assisted teams were nearly three times more effective. AI also helped less experienced employees contribute more and encouraged interdisciplinary thinking. Pennsylvania’s ChatGPT pilot showed similar benefits, with employees saving 95 minutes daily and improving workflows. A national survey by JFF found that 57% of workers already see AI reshaping their jobs, though few receive formal training. These findings suggest AI isn’t just a tool for efficiency—it’s a partner reshaping how teams work, learn, and innovate.

In 2025, your next coworker might not be human, but an autonomous AI agent capable of performing specialized, real-world tasks collaboratively and independently. Groundbreaking experiments from Google, Stanford, and Chan Zuckerberg BioHub reveal that teams of AI agents—ranging from computational biologists to critical reviewers—can rapidly innovate, discover new medical treatments, and respond dynamically to emerging. As AI becomes embedded into workplace dynamics, businesses face an exciting yet challenging future, where managing AI agents as digital employees might soon become as common as managing human teams.

I had the great joy and privilege of joining Michael Horn and Diane Tavenner for an episode of Class Disrupted. We explore AI’s transformative potential in education, particularly its ability to democratize access to expertise—shifting from just providing information to offering expert-level insights at near-zero cost. I discuss how AI can serve as a teaching assistant, tutor, and even a consultant for educators, while also weighing the risks, from amplifying biases to reshaping workforce skills. The conversation unpacks AI’s broader implications, from labor markets to education policy, and considers how schools might—or might not—adapt to these rapid changes.

DeepSeek's R1 model from China has sent shockwaves through the AI industry, matching OpenAI's top models while claiming development costs of just $5 million. Though experts dispute this figure, R1's emergence has triggered market value losses and security concerns. US companies quickly responded, with Google updating Gemini to outperform R1. The situation highlights tensions around export controls, security vulnerabilities, and the strategic importance of open-source AI development that aligns with democratic values. Security risks have led several US entities to ban DeepSeek. America must accelerate innovation and education to maintain AI leadership.

AI has become an invaluable partner for me, giving me instant access to a wide array of expert “assistants.” I now have a data analyst, driver with Waymo, brainstorming partner, legislative analyst, medical assistant, start-up advisor, graphics designer, and researcher at my fingertips, ready to help whenever I need specialized skills and knowledge.

A recent social media clash that erupted between Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and Trump loyalists over high-skilled immigration reform exposed deep ideological rifts within the Republican coalition. But the importance of the debate over immigration policy and the American education system extends far beyond social media — solving these problems is critical to America’s competitiveness. By combining pragmatic immigration reforms, bold educational investments and innovative AI-driven learning, we can forge the “Talent Dominance” agenda we desperately need. 

In an analysis of Sal Khan's "Brave New Words" and the evolving landscape of AI in education, I present a case for AI-powered tutoring as a transformative force. Recent advancements in speech, image analysis, and emotional intelligence, combined with promising research studies showing significant learning gains, suggest AI tutoring could help address our urgent educational challenges like pandemic learning loss and chronic absenteeism.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent veto of California’s Senate Bill (SB) 1047, known as the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, reignited the debate about how best to regulate the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. Newsom’s veto illustrates a cautious approach to regulating a new technology and could pave the way for more pragmatic AI safety policies.

New research reveals the transformative potential and complex realities of AI in education. From AI-powered grading systems that match human accuracy while saving countless hours, to AI tutors that both enhance and hinder learning, to AI's ability to reason like humans and predict social science experiments, these studies paint a nuanced picture of AI's role in the future of education. As the field rapidly evolves, enthusiasts and skeptics alike must grapple with the profound implications of AI for teaching and learning and ensure their views are shaped by research.

I was excited to contribute to a group of over 20 prominent AI researchers, legal experts, and tech industry leaders from institutions including OpenAI, the Partnership on AI, Microsoft, the University of Oxford, a16z crypto, and MIT on a paper proposing "personhood credentials" (PHCs) as a potential solution to the growing challenge of AI-powered online deception. PHCs would provide a privacy-preserving way for individuals to verify their humanity online without disclosing personal information. While implementation details remain to be determined, the core concept warrants serious consideration from policymakers and tech leaders as AI capabilities rapidly advance, threatening to erode the trust and accountability essential for societies to function.

The increasing capabilities of AI have sparked an important debate: Should the "weights" that define a model's intelligence be openly accessible or tightly controlled? This article dives deep into the arguments on both sides. Proponents say open-weight models accelerate innovation, enable greater scrutiny for safety, and democratize AI capabilities. Critics warn of risks like misuse for disinformation or military purposes by adversaries. The piece examines recent developments like frontier open-weight models from Meta and Mistral, Mark Zuckerberg's case for openness, concerns about China's AI ambitions, and the US government's cautious approach.

The recent AI policy roadmap from the bipartisan AI working group in Congress strikes a thoughtful balance between promoting AI innovation and addressing potential risks. It lays out a nuanced approach including increased AI safety efforts, crucial investments in domestic STEM talent, protections for children in the age of AI, and "grand challenge" programs to spur breakthroughs - all while avoiding hasty overregulation that could stifle progress

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), the dialogue often veers between the extremes of stringent regulation, like the European Union’s AI Act, and laissez-faire approaches that risk unbridled technological advances without sufficient safeguards. Amidst this polarized debate, the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) has emerged as a promising alternative approach that addresses the ethical, social, and economic complexities introduced by AI, while also supporting continued innovation.  

Recent studies reveal autonomous vehicles (AVs) boast impressive safety records, with far fewer and less severe crashes compared to conventional cars. Advanced AV systems that constantly monitor surroundings, precisely follow traffic laws, and avoid dangerous situations contribute to their superior performance. With rapid technological improvements enabling AVs to learn from analyzing massive amounts of human driving data, they are poised to drastically reduce traffic accidents and fatalities. Further real-world experience for AVs promises to refine their systems and enhance safety even more. Regulators should enable this progress while enacting reasonable safeguards.

The capabilities of AI promise not only efficiency but potentially a more accessible interface for citizens. As governments begin to integrate these technologies into their service-delivery mechanisms, it is imperative to approach the adoption with due diligence, guided by robust frameworks like NIST’s AI RMF. With a combination of strategic foresight, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building, governments can harness the power of AI to truly transform public service, making it more responsive and citizen-centric than ever before.

John Bailey joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss artificial intelligence and what role it could have in the classroom.

There is an incredible amount of excitement and confusion around what this wave of generative AI means for education. These technologies are rapidly improving, and developers are introducing capabilities that would have been considered science fiction just a few years ago. In my latest Education Next piece, I provide an overview of generative AI and explore how this technology will influence how students learn, how teachers work, and ultimately how we structure our education system.

The Biden administration recently secured voluntary commitments from major AI companies to manage risks associated with AI, including ensuring products are safe and transparent about capabilities and limitations. While a step in the right direction, the vague pledges largely reaffirm existing activities and oversight mechanisms are unclear. This embodies the precautionary principle which can hamper innovation if taken too far through accumulating requirements. There should be a balance between risk mitigation and advancing AI to realize its benefits. The commitments are also oriented toward avoiding harms rather than proactively leveraging AI's potential to address pressing societal challenges like climate change and learning loss. A more ambitious, benefit-focused approach is needed alongside reasonable precautions.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) coincides with a concerning public health crisis of loneliness and isolation, particularly among young people. According to a CDC survey, a shocking 44% of adolescents are dealing with constant feelings of sadness and hopelessness. As AI technology becomes more prevalent, concerns are growing about its potential to worsen these emotional struggles. This new technological context necessitates a deeper investigation into the role AI might play in intensifying these existing societal issues.

Over the past decade, many have been disappointed by the unfulfilled promises of technology transforming education. However, recent advancements in AI, such as OpenAI's GPT-4, may signal a genuine breakthrough. These large-language models have smarter capabilities, function as reasoning engines, use language as an interface, and are scaling rapidly thanks to tech giants. As a result, AI-powered tutoring and teaching assistants are emerging to provide individualized learning, automate administrative tasks, and offer constructive critiques on student writing. While there are limitations, it is expected that future iterations will address these issues. Harnessing AI's potential could lead to a future where education is more effective, equitable, and personalized, with teachers focusing on fostering meaningful connections with their students.