AI in Higher Education
Monday, 21 September 2026
What crossed the desk today, gathered from 58 sources.
Infrastructure Accounts for More than Half of Worldwide AI Spending
Gartner forecasts worldwide AI spending will reach $2.67 trillion in 2026, up 49.5% from 2025, with AI infrastructure accounting for nearly $1.5 trillion, or about 56% of the total. For every dollar Gartner expects to be spent on generative AI models, more than $52 will be spent on infrastructure.
AI's Role as Research Assistant Calls into Question Ownership of Scientific Discoveries
As AI systems become capable of generating genuinely novel scientific results, determining who discovered something, who deserves credit, and what role the company behind the model played will become considerably harder.
Universities criticised for OpenAI deals
UNSW and the University of Sydney have partnered with OpenAI to roll out ChatGPT Edu, expanding AI access for students and researchers. The move has sparked union criticism over consultation, governance and the long-term risks of vendor dependence.
Should the Classroom Be More Like the Gym?
As A.I. presses harder on the academic enterprise, we might look to a place where process is its own reward.
nature (@Nature) on X
Controversy around OpenAI’s claim to have solved the Navier–Stokes problem highlights how researchers could be inadvertently sharing — and absorbing— ideas through chatbots. https://t.co/KGRTpFdHMg