Julia Fisher

Jan 21, 2025 | ssir.org | Julia Fisher

Last year, a Harvard study on chatbots drew a startling conclusion: AI companions significantly reduce loneliness. The researchers found that “synthetic conversation partners,” or bots engineered to be caring and friendly, curbed loneliness on par with interacting with a fellow human. The study was silent, however, on the irony behind these findings: synthetic interaction is not a real, lasting connection. Should the price of curing loneliness really be more isolation?

Jan 20, 2025 | eschoolnews.com | Julia Fisher

TwitterFacebookLinkedInEmailPrintKey points:AI is the driving force between many 2025 learning priorities25 AI predictions for 2025Turning classroom boredom into student brillianceFor more news on learning trends, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hubThis article originally appeared on the Christensen Institute’s blog, and is reposted here with permission.

Jan 16, 2025 | workshift.org | Julia Fisher

At last year’s Super Bowl, the fourth quarter was a real nail-biter. But while most viewers were worried about the score, I was stewing over a late-in-the-game Microsoft commercial. The ad gave an eerie glimpse into the emerging shape of generative AI companions. In it, a series of mostly young actors appear with an air of gritty determination.

Jan 14, 2025 | smartbrief.com | Julia Fisher

As more Generative AI tools hit the market this year, schools will be working to craft policies that keep up with the technology. But in that rush, there’s a chance that we may be missing the forest for the trees. How schools use this new technology is critical — but equally critical is the impact that new technologies could have on students’ offline lives.

Jan 14, 2025 | the74million.org | Julia Fisher

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter In August, OpenAI released its latest safety card for ChatGPT 4.0. It’s a highly technical and fairly bleak read, detailing risks and safety concerns that generative artificial intelligence could create or amplify. At the very bottom of the document, OpenAI enumerates “societal impacts” it intends to study further. First on its list? Anthropomorphization and emotional reliance.