The AI Pulse  

 Issue #36 — 30th June 2025

Editor: Alan Brown

  

Welcome to the latest edition of The AI Pulse for Digital Leaders. An expertly curated collection of essential articles, commentaries, and news stories from reputable sources. Do you know anyone who might be interested in AI Pulse. Have some news or looking to partner? Just get in touch at: [email protected]

Highlights in this edition include:  

  

The biggest risk from AI for schools in the UK is doing nothing.

CFOs want AI that pays based on real metrics.

How GenAI is changing the way we write and speak.

AI agents are getting better at writing code—and hacking it as well.

Why companies need to introduce stricter AI policies.

   AI for Good  

OFCOM says that the biggest risk from AI for schools in the UK is doing nothing, based on insights from early adopters of AI in schools and further education colleges.  

Forbed looks at new ways that AI agents are transforming halthcare.  

A report from the OECD considers how AI is being used to support equity in rural schools around the world.  

   Bias and Ethics  

A PWC report considers what you need to know about responsible AI and industry standards.  

TechRadar reports that Microsoft has declared that “Responsible AI” is now its biggest priority — and considers what that might mean for us.  

   Cyber Security  

WIRED reports that AI agents are getting better at writing code—and hacking it as well.  

   Data & Decision Making  

FastCompany reports that legacy companies with rich data are transformed by AI as they adapt, learn, and build on what they already know.  

A revealing essay by Nicholas Carr explores all the data that is now be collected and shared about you and the implications on our lives.  

   Innovation & Collaboration  

VentureBeat suggests that CFOs want AI that pays based on real metrics, not marketing demos.

FastCompany looks at how AI agents and copilots are rewriting the rules of consulting.  

The Week looks at how GenAI is changing the way we write and speak.  

TechRadar considers Agentic AI vs GenAI and concludes that the future’s not just smarter—it’s bolder.  

IEEE Spectrum reports that researchers are using evolutionary algorithms to enhance AI coding skills.  

Davis Treybig at investment company Innovation Endeavors provides a very comprehensive review of the state of AI foundation models.  

A report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) examines why China’s AI breakthroughs should come as no surprise.  

  Productivity & Efficiency  

Fortune magazine has a special issue that gathers examples of AI implementations that are showing promising impact for their companies.  

CIO magazine asks if declining AI maturity is actually a sign of progress.  

UKAuthority outlines a report that spending on digital technology by the UK public sector has continued to rise, with the 150 top suppliers accounting for 84% of spend.  

ZDNET describes a Gallup poll that found that 30% of teachers are using AI weekly -- and that it's saving them "six weeks a year”.  

Bain & Company reports that AI is transforming productivity, but sales remains a new frontier.  

Gartner predicts over 40% of Agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027.  

  Regulation and Compliance  

ZDNET looks at the implications of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” which includes a rule that would prevent states from enforcing their own AI legislation for 10 years.  

Forbes looks at why companies need to introduce stricter AI policies.  

The Guardian reports on the latest court ruling that Anthropic did not breach copyright when training AI on books without permission.  

Politico reports that the Swedish PM proposes a pause of the EU’s AI rules, which he calls “confusing” and “unenforceable”.  

Reuters reports that the Bosch CEO has warned Europe against regulating “itself to death” on AI to remain competitive.  

   Sustainability  

A blog from LSE offers the view that most countries are still on the wrong side of the curve when it comes to AI sustainability.  

  User Experience  

A ZDNET article looks at new data that shows two thirds of Gen Z and Millennials use their own AI tools when employers don't give them what they think works well.  

BCG looks at how companies and individuals can prepare for an AI-first future.  

HBR looks at how to lead in an AI world dominated by continuous change.  

  Workforce & Skills  

TechCrunch notes that as job losses loom, Anthropic has launched a program to track AI’s economic fallout.  

CityAM warns that the Big Four consulting companies have vastly reduced graduate intake as AI takes on entry level work.  

According to Inc., tech leaders predict a human hiring boom as workers gain AI skills.  

BCG’s 3rd Annual AI at Work study concludes that only half of frontline employees use AI, and companies must reshape their workflows around the technology.  

ZDNET reports that business leaders are continuing to push workers toward daily use of AI.  

CIO Magazine looks at how AI is begining to reshape the IT job landscape as layoffs rise.  

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