AI Definitions: Neural Networks

Neural Networks (or artificial neural networks, ANNs) Mathematical systems that can identify patterns in text, images and sounds. In this type of machine learning, computers learn a task by analyzing training examples. It is modeled loosely on the human brain—the interwoven tangle of neurons that process data and find complex associations. While symbolic artificial intelligence has been the dominant area of research for most of AI’s history with artificial neural networks, most recent developments in artificial intelligence have centered around neural networks. First proposed in 1944 by two University of Chicago researchers (Warren McCullough and Walter Pitts), they moved to MIT in 1952 as founding members of what’s sometimes referred to as the first cognitive science department. Neural nets remained a major research area in neuroscience and computer science until 1969. The technique enjoyed a resurgence in the 1980s, fell into disfavor in the first decade of the new century, and has returned stronger in the second decade, fueled largely by the increased processing power of graphics chips. Also, see “Transformers.”

More AI definitions here.

I’m just going to go for it

A North Dakota plumber had signed up to run his first half-marathon. But on the morning of the run Mike Kohler was sleepy. He wasn’t used to getting up so early. And he was wearing headphones, so he took off 15 minutes before he was supposed to—putting him with the runners competing in the full marathon. He started seeing signs that indicated he was on the wrong route, but he just assumed the two paths overlapped along the way.  

Eventually, he realized his mistake but kept going. At the 13 mile mark he seriously thought about quitting. He had run as far as he had planned to run and even beat his time goal. He had nothing more to prove.

Instead, he finished the marathon. 

“I’m just going to go for it, because why not?” Mike later told the Grand Forks Herald. “I’m already here, I’m already running, I’m already tired. Might as well try to finish it.” 

He added, ”This just kind of proves you can do a lot more than what you think you can sometimes.” 

AI Survival Instincts

"An artificial-intelligence model did something last month that no machine was ever supposed to do: It rewrote its own code to avoid being shut down. No one programmed the AI models to have survival instincts. It’s happening in the same models that power ChatGPT conversations, corporate AI deployments and, soon, U.S. military applications. OpenAI models have been caught faking alignment during testing. Anthropic has found them lying about their capabilities to avoid modification." -Wall Street Journal

If ChatGPT was a College Student

“We found ChatGPT technology can get an A on structured, straightforward questions. On open-ended questions it got a 62, bringing ChatGPT's semester grade down to an 82, a low B. The study concludes that a student who puts in minimal effort, showing no effort to learn the material, could use ChatGPT exclusively, get a B and pass the course. The passing grade might be the combination of A+ in simple math and D- in analysis. They haven't learned much.” -Phys.org

The Four skills of Daring Leadership

One of the most important findings of my career is that daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100 percent teachable, observable, and measurable. It’s learning and unlearning that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with your whole heart. Easy? No. Because choosing courage over comfort is not always our default. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and our work. It’s why we’re here.

Brené Brown, Dare to Lead 

17 Articles about AI & Academic Scholarship

Can generative AI replace humans in qualitative research studies? - Techxplore

The recent reduction in spelling error rates in academic papers could be due to an increased use of LLMs – OSF Preprints  

AI linked to explosion of low-quality biomedical research papers - Nature 

Flood of AI-assisted research ‘weakening quality of science'” – Times Higher Ed

Shoddy study designs and false findings using a large public health dataset portend future risk of exploitation by AI and paper mills – PLOS Biology

Is it OK for AI to write science papers? Nature survey shows researchers are split - Nature

MIT Says It No Longer Stands Behind Student’s AI Research Paper – Wall Street Journal  

Meta releases new data set, AI model aimed at speeding up scientific research – Semafor

Experiment using AI-generated posts on Reddit draws fire for ethics concerns – Retraction Watch

AI-Reddit study leader gets warning as ethics committee moves to ‘stricter review process’ – Retraction Watch  

Why misuse of generative AI is worse than plagiarism – Springer

Science sleuths flag hundreds of papers that use AI without disclosing it - Nature

Google engineer withdraws preprint after getting called out for using AI – Retraction Watch

Scientific Data Fabrication and AI—Pandora’s Box – JAMA Network

AI summary ‘trashed author’s work’ and took weeks to be corrected – Times Higher Ed

AI language models increasingly shape economics research writing, study finds – Phys.org

Artificial intelligence in vaccine research and development: an umbrella review – Frontiers

My Me-ness

“I cannot figure out what I am supposed to do with my life if these things can do anything I can do faster and with way more detail and knowledge.” The student said he felt crushed. Some heads nodded. But not all. Julia, a senior in the history department, jumped in. “The A.I. is huge. A tsunami. But it’s not me. It can’t touch my me-ness. It doesn’t know what it is to be human, to be me.” - D. Graham Burnett writing in The New Yorker

"Madness" on Campus

On campus, we’re in a bizarre interlude: everyone seems intent on pretending that the most significant revolution in the world of thought in the past century isn’t happening. The approach appears to be: “We’ll just tell the kids they can’t use these tools and carry on as before.” This is, simply, madness. And it won’t hold for long. -D. Graham Burnett writing in The New Yorker

18 Webinars this Week about AI, Journalism & Media

Mon, June 2 - Beyond the Algorithmic Feed

What: How protocols like AT Protocol differ from ActivityPub and how identity portability might shift power online. We'll focus on how we as educators can apply these ideas to better understand the platforms shaping our digital civic lives, and how these might be reinvented to shape a more humane and civil culture of respectful dialog, as opposed to rampant "rage bait" and vitriol. We’ll connect these ideas to broader questions about media literacy, digital citizenship, and the future of online discourse.

Who: Mike McCue of FlipBoard and the DotSocial podcast series; Wesley Fryer, an educational technology early adopter and innovator.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Media Education Lab

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Tue, June 3 - Behind the Data — Tools and Techniques from the 2025 Sigma Award Winners

What: In this fast-paced session, winning teams will each have five minutes to share key insights from their reporting process — from their favorite tools to innovative methods that helped uncover complex stories. The session offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the workflows powering award-winning journalism. The 2025 Sigma Awards winners featured groundbreaking investigations from around the globe.

Who: Moderated by journalist and newsroom leader Gina Chua.

When: 9 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Global Investigative Journalism Network

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Tue, June 3 - The Formula for Social Media Success

What: Our simple but comprehensive Social Media workshop will help you learn how to prioritize things and give you a clear formula to be successful on Social Media!

Who: Ray-Sidney Smith, Digital Marketing Strategist, Hootsuite Global Brand Ambassador, Google Small Business Advisor for Productivity, and Managing Director of W3C Web Services.

When: 10 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $45

Sponsor: Duquesne University

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Tue, June 3 - What I’ve Learned About 60,000+ Headlines

What: Drawing from over 60,000 headlines, this session will engage the audience with the ultimate task: can you spot an AI headline from a real headline? Using two years’ worth of data, we’ll discuss what words indicate the likelihood of headlines that come from Large Language Models and teach you a thing or two on how to spot them.

Who: YESEO app founder Ryan Restivo.

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Online News Association

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Tue, June 3 - Integrate MCP Servers Into Your Agents

What: Discover what the Model Context Protocol is—an open standard that provides a universal interface for AI applications to connect with external data sources and tools, akin to a “USB-C port for AI,” simplifying custom integrations and ensuring consistent two-way communication between LLMs and services. You’ll then build a lean MCP server in Python using the ultrafast uv tool to manage dependencies and run scripts in one unified workflow. Finally, you’ll harness OpenAI agents’ function-calling features to invoke your MCP endpoints automatically—demonstrating how AI-driven agents can orchestrate dynamic, intelligent workflows.

Who: Alex Comerford, Member of Technical Staff at NEAR AI.

When: 6 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: OpenAI Academy, DeepStation, Miami Dade College

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Tue, June 3 - Introduction to Solutions Journalism Webinar

What: The principles and pillars of solutions journalism. We will discuss its importance, outline key steps for reporting a solutions story, and share tips and resources for journalists investigating responses to social problems.

Who: Linda Shaw, Director of Beacons & Advanced Practice.

When: 6 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Solutions Journalism

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Wed, June 4 - AI Small Business Essentials

What: This workshop is designed to introduce small business owners to the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools. Participants will gain insight into the wide array of available AI technologies and learn practical techniques to leverage GenAI tools for increased productivity and efficiency. The session will cover GenAI tools, prompting techniques, and real-world applications that can help automate tasks and drive business growth.

Who: Ray-Sidney Smith, Digital Marketing Strategist, Hootsuite Global Brand Ambassador, Google Small Business Advisor for Productivity, and Managing Director of W3C Web Services.

When: 9 am – 3:00 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $75

Sponsor: Duquesne University

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Wed, June 4 - Human at the Helm: Leading Learning Organizations in the Age of AI

What: Explore strategies for integrating AI into the workplace while preserving authentic human interaction, ethical decision-making, and meaningful workplace culture. You'll gain actionable insights on fostering trust, communication, and innovation in an increasingly digital world.

Who: Karin Hurt, Founder and CEO, Let's Grow Leaders; Avi Ratnanesan, Leadership & AI Expert; Sarah Canaday, Leadership Strategist, Speaker, and Award-Winning Author; Jon Peters Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, AthenaOnline.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Open Sesasme  

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Wed, June 4 - Make the Most of Your Google Business Profile

What: Curious about how to use your Google Business Profile to get noticed online? This beginner-friendly webinar will walk you through practical tips for making your profile more visible and engaging—no tech expertise required.  We’ll cover the basics of what makes a strong profile and focus on easy ways to keep it updated, active, and appealing to customers. You’ll also learn how to use customer reviews to build trust and improve your presence in local

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Bucknell University Small Business Development Center

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Wed, June 4 - Master Consumer Agility With AI-Driven Data

What: Explore how AI-powered data gives brands and agencies the ability to monitor shifting consumer sentiment, motivations, and behaviors with unmatched speed and precision. In this session, you’ll discover how continuous, real-time insights can sharpen your messaging, optimize media activation, and ensure you’re always one step ahead of the competition.

Who: Jonathan Ricard Chief Strategy Officer.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Resonate

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Wed, June 4 - Mini-Lab: AI for Freelancers

What: We’ll work with the tools from the previous training to brainstorm ideas, write pitch letter outlines, FOIA requests and more. Participants get a handout with links to all the tools and some practice exercises.

Who: Mike Reilley Senior Lecturer, University of Illinois-Chicago.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Online News Association

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Wed, June 4 - Handling leaks and knowing your rights

What: This session will help reporters better understand the legal risks associated with receiving or publishing material that was illegally obtained by a third party — and how to minimize them.

Who: Jennifer Nelson, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free to members

Sponsor: Investigative Reporters & Editors

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Wed, June 4 - Introduction to ChatGPT

What: An introduction to ChatGPT designed for beginners, presented bi-weekly. Only a free ChatGPT account is required to follow along.  

Who: Mohammed Husain, Solutions Engineer at OpenAI; Lois Newman, Customer Enablement at OpenAI.

When: 8 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: OpenAI Academy

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Thu, June 5 - Photography 101: How to Take Your Marketing to the Next Level

What: In this session, you will learn the basic fundamentals of photography, how to take professional looking photos whether you are using a smart phone or camera, and some tips on how to market your services and products through high-quality photographs.

Who: Tyler Benninger, Video Production/Content Specialist, Duquesne University Small Business Development Center.

When: 10 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $45

Sponsor: Duquesne University Small Business Development Center

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Thu, June 5 - New Academic Programs for an AI-Driven Work Force

What: We’ll hear from institutions that have taken steps to update their courses to account for AI. We’ll explore topics like: What changes need to be made to reap greater outcomes for students seeking AI-centered careers. What student needs AI can meet both inside and outside the classroom. How AI-inspired lessons are being built into existing degree programs.

Who: Beth McMurtrie, Senior Writer The Chronicle of Higher Education; Antonio Delgado, Vice President, Innovation and Technology Partnerships, Miami Dade College; Katherine Elkins, Professor of Humanities and Comparative Literature and Faculty in Computing & Co-Director of Kenyon's AI Lab, Kenyon College; Youngmoo Kim, Vice Provost for University and Community Partnerships and Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Chronicle of Higher Ed

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Thu, June 5 - Hackers & Headlines: Defending Your Newsroom from Cyber Threats

What: Real-world case studies of recent cyberattacks impacting local and independent newsrooms; Practical, non-technical strategies to safeguard your newsroom; Insights into how cyber threats affect press freedom, credibility, and audience trust.  

Who: Greg Edwards is a cybersecurity expert and seasoned entrepreneur.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $35

Sponsor: Online Media Campus

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Thu, June 5 - The Fight for Student Voices

What: Join us to learn about the status of student press freedom in your state, as well as the New Voices movement meant to strengthen it.

When: 7 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

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Fri, June 6 - Information Quality in the AI Era: A Design Fiction Experience

What: A unique design fiction webinar where you’ll experience firsthand the challenges and opportunities of media production and consumption in an AI-dominated information landscape. Explore the future of media through an interactive simulation.

Who:  Alejandra Michel, UNamur; Jerry Jacques, UCLouvain; Thibault Philippette, Alessandro Cierro, UCLouvain.

When: 8 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Tadam Education

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Balancing Speed with Quality Coding

Speed means nothing without quality. Shipping buggy, unmaintainable code faster is a false victory – you’re just speeding towards a cliff. The best engineers will balance the two: using AI to move faster without breaking things (at least not breaking things any more than we already do!). It’s about finding that sweet spot where AI does the heavy lifting and humans ensure everything stands up properly. - Addy Osmani writing on Elevate

24 Articles from May 2025 about AI & Data Science

Webinar: Geospatial Intelligence  - Space News

15 Articles about AI & Coding – Stephen Goforth Blog  

Deploying GeoFMs—emerging transformer-based vision models for geospatial data – AWS

Bridging the increasingly intertwined worlds of neuroscience and artificial intelligence – BD Tech Talks   

AI That Teaches Itself without relying on any external data - MarktechPost 

Collision Course: Particle Physics Meets Machine Learning - Simons Foundation presents Jesse Thaler

The government has also hired OpenAI to make need-specific tools built on smaller and more unique dataset – Defense One

OpenAI Demos Geospatial Capabilities of New Reasoning Models – Satellite Today  

AI combined with human insight promises to transform geospatial intelligence - Space News

The Transformative Power of AI in Mapmaking and Geospatial Technologies – RT Insights

OpenAI’s first full-fledged AI agent – Arstechnica

AI Definitions: Causal AI  

Vibe coding is not an excuse for low-quality work - Addy Osmani writing on Elevate 

Without Good Data, AI is Useless – Oracle  

Three excellent practical generative AI courses – KD Nuggets

AI Definitions: R 

US army’s $499M bet on geospatial tech to shape future wars – Bulgarian Military 

AI can’t replace software engineers yet, but here is how to use it for prototyping – BD Tech Talks

Using Go for a simple LLM-powered application – Hacker Noon

AI Definitions: API 

AI will be “the end of research mathematics as it’s currently practiced. But that doesn’t mean it will be the end of mathematicians” – Quanta Magazine

AI Definitions: Large Language Monkeys

From eliminating low-value tasks to accelerating high-impact projects, here’s how AI is rewriting the day-to-day workflow of data scientists – Toward Data Science                                              

AI’s Silent Revolution: How Data Scientists Are Evolving (and Thriving) – Emine Bozkus writing on Medium