Author: Connected World
Machine learning and AI (artificial intelligence) are transforming research across many fields, from energy to healthcare. One of the latest milestones is the formation of the LEADS (LEarning-Accelerated Domain Science) Institute, which is a collaborative effort to make scientific machine learning more accessible and impactful for researchers working with complex data. As one example, Yulia Gel, a professor in the Dept. of Statistics at Virginia Tech, has been named a key contributor to the LEADS Institute, which is supported by the U.S. Dept. of Energy to advance scientific AI and data science. The institute brings together researchers from 14 universities…
#Factoftheweek Get ready. We are going to have another explosive year for AI—at least according to the numbers forecasted. It is anticipated worldwide spending on AI will reach $2.52 trillion in 2026, which is a growth rate of 44% year-over-year, according to Gartner. Much of this will come from AI foundations, with increasing spending on AI-optimized servers and AI infrastructure. Table 1: Worldwide AI Spending by Market, 2025-2027 (Millions of U.S. Dollars) Market2025 2026 2027 AI Services439,438588,645761,042AI Cybersecurity25,92051,34785,997AI Software283,136452,458636,146AI Models14,41626,38043,449AI Platforms for Data Science and Machine Learning21,86831,12044,482AI Application Development Platforms6,5878,41610,922AI Data8273,1196,440AI Infrastructure964,9601,366,3601,748,212Total AI Spending1,757,152 2,527,845 3,336,690 What are you seeing? Do you…
In the heart of upstate New York is a group of institutions coming together to advance the use of AI (artificial intelligence) in higher education. Meet Empire AI, a consortium of public and private organizations, partially funded by New York State and with a grant totaling more than $1 million from Google.org. The Empire AI consortium includes the CUNY Graduate Center, Columbia University, Cornell University, Icahn School of Medicine, New York University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the State University of New York, University at Buffalo, and University of Rochester. Together, these institutions will ensure that New York’s…
#Factoftheweek 65% Some 65% of employees said they are excited about using AI (artificial intelligence) at work. But Gartner cautions leaders must take three actions to reframe AI deployment for enhanced business value. Reframe AI governance to focus on both compliance and security AND planning for impacts on the employee experience. Identify digitally curious and collaborative employees to pilot the tools. Segment employees by their attitudes and behaviors toward AI to craft personalized learning journeys. At the end of the day, Gartner research shows resistance to AI is not the root issue in many businesses, but rather it is often…
It is the start of the new year, and the 2025 Christmas holidays have come and gone with the blink of an eye it seems. I was at a Christmas party when a friend asked me a question I could not immediately answer. He asked: “How much of the Christmas presents given actually get returned by the recipients?” When I got home, I dug into my work archives because I remember having visited a company that processed product returns for major retail chains. The DC (distribution center) that this 3PL (third party logistics) provider operates is in Eastern Pennsylvania, strategically…
#Factoftheweek Off-highway vehicles telematics systems will rise to 17.6 million units worldwide by 2029, growing at a 12% rate. This is up from 10 million in 2024, and includes off-highway vehicles in construction, mining, agriculture, and forestry. Construction represents the largest share and is driven by OEM telematics systems. Agriculture and mining are the second and third largest shares. Forestry is the smallest sector. What are your thoughts? Are you surprised by this projected growth? Or does it seem in line with where the market is headed?
Innovators are at the forefront of creating a shape-memory ceramic that can be manufactured at scale without breaking. Theoretically, a strong, defect-free material could phase-shift under stress to dissipate energy and, unlike normally brittle ceramics, can be 3D-printed in bulk with full density in the as-printed state. This would then open up possibilities for practical applications in defense, infrastructure, aerospace, and even high-performance sporting equipment. Hang Yu, associate professor of materials science and engineering, Virginia Tech, along with Ph.D. student Donnie Erb ’15, M.S. ’18 and postdoctoral researcher Nikhil Gotawala, had a breakthrough. The team has used an advanced manufacturing…
The sun’s magnetic field, which fuels explosive events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections, has long been difficult to map in three dimensions. One promising AI (artificial intelligence) breakthrough comes from researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi IfA (Institute for Astronomy). The university developed an advanced AI tool that can map the sun’s magnetic field in 3D with accuracy. This innovation supports research using the NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope and enhances scientists’ ability to understand the sun’s dynamic behavior. Here is how this can help: Improve space weather forecasting. More accurate 3D magnetic maps. Better protection for…
#Factoftheweek Only 25% of U.S. employees think their organization handles major change well. Yikes. As organizations plan for 2026, one trend they can’t afford to overlook is the generational divide in how employees experience change. This is apparent in the recent Eagle Hill Consulting research that shows there are significant generational gaps in optimism, stress, and perceptions of change. Here’s what leadership should consider for their 2026 organizational playbook: Change isn’t experienced the same by all generations. Gen Z workers are significantly more likely to view change as positive (70% say process changes improve their organization) compared to Gen X…
As the demand for digital services, AI (artificial intelligence), and cloud platforms rapidly grows, data centers are becoming critical infrastructure, but their massive power needs create technical, economic, and environmental challenges. Researchers are stepping up with innovative approaches to ensure the next generation of data centers is resilient, efficient, and sustainable. Case in point: Professor Ali Mehrizi-Sani, director of Virginia Tech’s Power and Energy Center, is spearheading interdisciplinary research and planning to transform how data centers are powered and managed. With support from Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering Major Grants Initiative, Mehrizi-Sani’s team convened experts from industry, academia, utilities, environmental…