How artificial intelligence threatens colleges and universities

Universities must prepare for a technology-enabled future [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 9 January 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Artificial intelligence and automation are transforming jobs for both blue-collar and white-collar workers – but they’re about to bring even more [substantial changes to higher education](, writes AI researcher and computer scientist Subhash Kak. If colleges and universities don’t adopt technology in a number of ways, “they risk becoming obsolete,” he says. Psychologist Jean Twenge helped draft a letter sent by two large Apple shareholders over the weekend imploring the company to design its products in a way that gives parents more control. Citing the effects excessive smartphone use can have on kids’ mental health, [Twenge explains why she thinks it’s time for Apple to make some changes](. And when Tufts University professor of psychiatry Ronald Pies was growing up in the 1950s, he and his friends tried to emulate the ‘cowboy code’ they saw embodied by role models on TV. Now he wonders how the [evolving media archetypes of masculinity]( might contribute to increases in mass shootings and reports of sexual harassment. Jeff Inglis Science + Technology Editor Top stories A professor teaches an online class with students from around the world. AP Photo/Gretchen Ertl [Universities must prepare for a technology-enabled future]( Subhash Kak, Oklahoma State University Artificial intelligence and automation are bringing changes to higher education that will challenge, and may even threaten, traditional universities. Kids shouldn’t be expected to self-regulate the amount of time they spend on the device. And parents are finding it tougher and tougher to impose limits. Brazhyk/Shutterstock.com [Does Apple have an obligation to make the iPhone safer for kids?]( Jean Twenge, San Diego State University The problem isn't kids owning smartphones. But when daily use exceeds two hours a day, mental health issues start to crop up. Stars of TV Westerns embodied a Cowboy Code. ABC Television [From cowboys to commandos: Connecting sexual and gun violence with media archetypes]( Ronald W. Pies, Tufts University With mass shootings and sexual harassment reports on the rise, a psychologist reflects on how the evolving nature of male role models in the media may be contributing. Politics + Society - [Fit to serve: Data on transgender military service]( Brandon Hill, University of Chicago; Joshua Trey Barnett, University of Minnesota Duluth Here's the research that explains why President Donald Trump's ban on transgender military service was so easily struck down. Economy + Business - [Why Iran's protests matter this time]( Nader Habibi, Brandeis University Although the unrest that shocked Iran's ruling elite appears to be over, there are several reasons to think this won't be the last time disaffected citizens take to the streets. Ethics + Religion - [Will religiously unaffiliated Americans increase support for liberal policies, in 2018 and beyond?]( David Mislin, Temple University Nearly one of every four people in the US is unaffiliated, which has prompted speculation that this would increase support for liberal policies. A scholar provides some lessons from history. From our international editions - [The story of Australia's last convicts]( Barry Godfrey, University of Liverpool; Lucy Williams, University of Liverpool A century and a half after the last convict ship docked in Australia, new research is uncovering what happened to those who were transported. - [Why Rwanda's development model wouldn't work elsewhere in Africa]( Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham The Rwandan model can't be replicated easily given that it depends heavily on political dominance and tight, centralised control of patronage networks. - [How blockchain can democratize green power]( Srinivasan Keshav, University of Waterloo Blockchain technology could be applied to our energy grids to make them smarter, and turn energy consumers into producers. Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [Teens and parents in Japan and US agree – mobile devices are an ever-present distraction]( [Willow Bay]Willow Bay University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111