Dear colleagues -
Summer offers something that's increasingly rare: space to slow down.
For many of us, the rest of the year is spent reacting to meetings, headlines, deadlines, and the steady flow of new developments and work that demand our attention. Summer creates a natural opportunity to step back, read more deeply, and spend time with ideas that benefit from a broader view than the day-to-day.
This year, much of my reading is centered on a common theme: how to think about a period of technological change that feels both exciting and unsettling. Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly. New capabilities emerge almost weekly. Predictions about its impact range from transformational to catastrophic. And while there is no shortage of commentary about what AI can do, I'm increasingly interested in a specific set of questions:
- How do we ensure technology remains in service of human flourishing?
- How might AI reshape the economy and the nature of work?
- What does all this mean for education and learning?
I'm not reading to predict winners and losers or to forecast precisely what comes next. Instead, I'm looking for frames and insights that help make sense of a moment when many of our assumptions about work, learning, and knowledge itself are being tested.
A few themes have been particularly helpful.
1. AI through a human lens
Before asking what AI can do, it's worth asking what it means to be human.
Some of the most thought-provoking writing on artificial intelligence isn't technical at all. It's fiction. Stories have long provided a way to explore questions about intelligence, agency, relationships, and responsibility before technology catches up with imagination.
On my reading list:
- Klara and the Sun by Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro. Klara is an Artificial Friend, selected by a sick girl to be her companion. The story explores themes of loneliness, humanity, and more. Consider reading before the feature length film is released this fall.
- I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. More than 75 years after its original publication, this collection of science fiction short stories examining the relationship between humans and robots feels more relevant than ever. And no, I can’t say I would recommend the movie version.
- We Are Not Machines by Sarah O’Connor. In this book, Financial Times journalist O’Connor talks to everyone from college graduates to factory workers in search of the answer to this question: “We think we’re robotizing our work, but what if we’re actually robotizing ourselves?”
These works don't offer policy prescriptions. They encourage us to think carefully about what should remain distinctly human in an increasingly automated world.
2. How AI may reshape the economy
Another question I'm spending time with is how AI could affect economic opportunity, productivity, and the distribution of wealth.
Historically, major technological shifts have created enormous benefits while also disrupting labor markets and institutions. The challenge isn't simply understanding whether AI will increase productivity. It's understanding who benefits, how gains are shared, and what kinds of transitions workers and communities may experience along the way.
What I've found most compelling are pieces that move beyond the question of whether AI will transform the economy and instead explore how society should respond if it does.
Worth reading:
- A Research Agenda for the Economics of Transformative AI by Erik Brynjolfsson, Anton Korinek, and Ajay K. Agrawal. One of the most useful reads I've come across doesn't try to forecast the future—it asks better questions. The authors outline nine "grand challenges" for understanding how AI may transform economic growth, work, public policy, and human well-being, providing a helpful roadmap for thinking through a period of rapid technological change. And together they co-convened a Windfall Trust workshop with more than 40 leading economists and AI representatives to conduct scenario planning from the research.
- Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital by Carlota Perez. Perez examines how societies navigated previous industrial and digital revolutions, and her framework offers a useful lens for thinking about AI – not as an isolated breakthrough, but as part of a broader process of economic transformation.
While predictions about if and how AI will reshape the economy vary considerably, these pieces share an important insight: technology does not determine outcomes on its own. Institutions, policies, and human choices matter too.
3. What AI means for learning, work, and education
Finally, I'm following the rapidly evolving conversation about how AI is changing education and workforce preparation.
If information is increasingly available on demand, what knowledge and skills matter most? How should teaching evolve? What capabilities will students need to thrive in a labor market where AI becomes a common tool?
Technology often evolves faster than the institutions responsible for helping people adapt to it. And how colleges, employers, and policymakers respond may prove just as important as the technology itself.
Worth exploring:
- That AI Thing newsletter. There are lots of interesting reads in this curated weekly roundup of original reporting on AI. Be sure to check out: “What if AI just makes us work harder?” (by Tim Harford).
- One Useful Thing, Substack by Ethan Mollick. I recommend reading “The Shape of the Thing” examining what AI may become in the next few years and how it may change work.
- AI as Normal Technology, Substack by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kappor. This newsletter from two computer scientists offers commentary on new technology through a rational and well-researched lens. Appreciated reading “Why AI hasn’t replaced software engineers, and wont.”
- The Humanist, Substack by Allison Salisbury. Thoughtful conversations featuring diverse and innovative voices across the education sector on topics including AI’s role in supporting learners and learning, how to reskill in the age of AI, the future of work, and more.
What I appreciate about these sources is their willingness to move beyond both hype and fear. They focus instead on experimentation, evidence, and the practical questions leaders are facing right now.
One final thought
The future of education won't be determined by technology alone.
Throughout the foundation's work—whether focused on advising, courseware, institutional transformation, or pathways to economic opportunity—we've seen that tools matter far less than how people use them. Technology can expand access, personalize support, and help institutions serve students more effectively. But it is not a substitute for human judgment, relationships, or purpose.
That's one reason I'm spending time with these ideas this summer. Periods of significant change create pressure to move quickly. They also create opportunities to think carefully about the future we're trying to build.
If you have recommendations that have challenged your thinking or helped you better understand this moment, I'd love to hear them.
Regards,
Patrick Methvin,
Director, Postsecondary Success