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AI Revolution in Academia: OpenAI and Anthropic Vie for College Students with Cutting-Edge Educational Tools
Niel de Kock
April 03, 2025
Welcome to the latest news in AI and AI in educational news.
Education AI News
OpenAI and Anthropic Launch AI Tools Targeted at College Students
OpenAI and Anthropic have launched competing AI services for college students within a 24-hour span. OpenAI is offering free access to ChatGPT Plus—including voice mode and image generation—through May for students in the U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, Anthropic unveiled Claude for Education, a version of its chatbot focused on enhancing student reasoning rather than just giving answers. It has already secured partnerships with major institutions like Northeastern University. Both companies are aiming to build long-term loyalty among students as AI becomes more integral to education and the future workforce.
Anthropic Redefines AI in Classrooms with Claude’s ‘Learning Mode’ for Critical Thinking
Anthropic has launched Claude for Education, a tailored version of its AI assistant designed to improve students' critical thinking instead of just providing answers. At the heart of the tool is Learning Mode, which uses Socratic questioning to guide students’ reasoning and problem-solving. The initiative partners with major institutions like Northeastern University, LSE, and Champlain College, offering full-campus AI access. Unlike traditional AI tools, Claude is built to foster intellectual development rather than shortcut learning. The platform also supports administrative tasks and integrates with educational systems like Canvas via partnerships with Internet2 and Instructure. As AI becomes more embedded in education, Anthropic’s student-first, reasoning-focused model could help reshape how universities approach digital learning.
Spotify Launches Gen AI Ads and Real-Time Ad Exchange
Spotify unveiled a major expansion of its advertising business, introducing Gen AI Ads and launching the Spotify Ad Exchange (SAX)—a programmatic ad platform enabling real-time auctions to reach logged-in users across audio, video, and display formats. Through new partnerships with Google’s DV360, Magnite, Yahoo DSP, Adform, and The Trade Desk, Spotify aims to offer full addressability and measurement. Additionally, advertisers in the U.S. and Canada can now use generative AI to create scripts and voiceovers for audio ads directly in Spotify Ads Manager at no extra cost. These tools are part of Spotify’s strategy to engage its massive Gen Z audience, now over 251 million strong.
AI News
Alibaba Set to Launch Qwen 3 AI Model Amid Rising Competition
Alibaba is preparing to release Qwen 3, an upgraded version of its flagship AI model, possibly within April 2025. The launch comes amid growing pressure from Chinese startup DeepSeek, which has gained global attention with its cost-effective, high-performing AI models. In response to DeepSeek’s rapid ascent, Alibaba previously released Qwen 2.5-Max during the Lunar New Year. The upcoming Qwen 3 is expected to be a major step in Alibaba’s effort to stay competitive in the fast-moving AI race.
Africa’s First AI Factory Set to Boost Innovation and Digital Independence
Cassava Technologies, founded by Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, has partnered with Nvidia to build Africa’s first AI factory, aiming to boost the continent’s AI innovation and digital self-reliance. Starting in South Africa this June and expanding to Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria, the initiative will provide much-needed access to GPU-powered supercomputers for researchers and businesses. This development addresses a critical gap in computational resources that has hindered Africa’s AI growth. By hosting powerful AI infrastructure locally, the project promises to reduce reliance on costly foreign cloud services, lower barriers to entry, and encourage the development of homegrown AI solutions tailored to Africa’s unique needs.
AI Adoption May Hurt at First—But It Makes Surviving Companies Stronger, Study Finds
A study presented at a European Central Bank conference reveals that while adopting AI initially disrupts manufacturing firms—lowering productivity and displacing workers—it ultimately leads to higher sales, productivity, and employment for companies that adapt successfully. Using U.S. Census data from 2017–2021, researchers found that the short-term challenges stemmed from AI disrupting established processes, but long-term gains were significant for firms that endured. However, older, larger companies struggled more with the transition. The findings challenge the idea that AI immediately enhances productivity and highlight the need for resilience during early implementation.
Ant Group Trains AI with Chinese Chips to Cut Costs and Reduce U.S. Tech Dependence
Ant Group, owned by Alibaba, is training its AI models using domestic Chinese semiconductors from Alibaba and Huawei to reduce costs and minimize reliance on U.S.-made chips like Nvidia’s H800. The company is leveraging the Mixture of Experts (MoE) method, a model training technique that divides tasks across multiple components to boost efficiency. Results reportedly rivaled those trained with Nvidia chips, with costs dropping by over a million yuan per trillion tokens processed. This marks a significant step in China's push for AI independence and cost-effective model development. Ant’s open-source models, Ling-Lite and Ling-Plus, are intended for use in sectors like healthcare and finance.
AI Tools
Cogmi Helps You Work Smarter by Tracking Your Brain’s Natural Rhythms
Cogmi is a mental efficiency tracker that aligns your work schedule with your brain's natural peaks and dips, helping you maximize productivity and avoid burnout. It provides real-time mental assessments, tracks efficiency across different cognitive domains, and uses AI to deliver daily suggestions tailored to your mental state. Designed for individuals and teams, Cogmi helps eliminate guesswork by offering science-backed insights into when you focus best—reducing energy waste, optimizing deep work, and flagging burnout risks before they escalate. Try it free—no credit card required.
ShortMeme: Turn Your Selfies into Viral Memes with AI
ShortMeme is an AI-powered platform that transforms your selfies into personalized, shareable memes in seconds. Just snap a selfie, let the AI generate a witty caption, and share it with friends. The tool offers lightning-fast meme creation, customizable captions, multi-language support, and a clean, user-friendly interface. With plans ranging from free to pro, it caters to casual users and content creators alike. Whether you're looking to boost your social media presence or just have some fun, ShortMeme makes meme-making effortless and entertaining.