Justin Spelhaug, who runs Microsoft's $4B education AI effort as president of Microsoft Elevate, acknowledges the real fears young people have about AI's impact on jobs, citing data from a Gallup and Lumina Foundation survey showing that 47% of students have considered changing their majors because of AI. Spelhaug, who aims to credential 20 million people for the AI economy, emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and metacognitive skills over technical skills. He advocates for educational tools that promote critical thinking and learning rather than just providing answers.

Neural networks are the foundation of advanced AI technologies such as large language models and multimodal systems. Nikhil Dasari of Towards Data Science writes this neural networks explainer by building one from scratch using a simple dataset to demonstrate how neurons compute linear functions, the role of hidden layers and the importance of activation functions such as ReLU in introducing nonlinearity.

OpenAI and Broadcom have unveiled Jalapeño, a custom AI chip for inferencing that OpenAI says outperforms current chips in performance per watt. The chip is part of OpenAI's strategy to enhance its infrastructure and reduce reliance on Nvidia. OpenAI says it developed the chip in nine months.

Oracle VirtualBox users may experience slow performance on Windows due to Microsoft's Hyper-V virtualization feature. Oracle notes that this integration is experimental and can lead to degraded performance within VirtualBox virtual machines. If you don't need or use Hyper-V, the solution is to uninstall Hyper-V: Go to the Control Panel, uncheck Hyper-V, Windows Hypervisor Platform and Windows Sandbox, then restart the computer.

Cybersecurity leaders from all Five Eyes nations -- including directors at the NSA and CISA and counterparts in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand -- urged businesses in a joint message to take integration of cybersecurity into their overall corporate computing strategies seriously, as AI models like Anthropic's Fable 5 and OpenAI's Daybreak make it easier for bad actors to mount attacks. The message was part of a warning issued by Five Eyes that advanced AI-driven cyberattacks are only months away, not years, as a result of those AI models' ability to shorten the time between the discovery and weaponization of software flaws.

AI is expected to create new entry-level jobs over the next five years, according to 94% of HR leaders surveyed by Cognizant and Pearson. The survey found that these roles will evolve into supervisory positions, with middle managers playing a key role in this transition. The survey also noted a growing demand for AI training, although only 54% of organizations currently offer it, and that soft skills are more valued than specialized degrees.

High turnover among IT professionals can strain companies, leading to increased hiring costs, loss of institutional knowledge and decreased morale. To address this, CIOs should understand employees' challenges, include IT staff in decision-making, encourage continuing education and hold staff accountable to clear metrics. These strategies can help create a more engaging work environment and improve retention.

Early career hiring has always involved uncertainty — but today, the cost of getting it wrong is significantly higher. Employers face rising onboarding costs and high attrition in junior roles. Degrees may signal potential — but they rarely guarantee job readiness. For employers rethinking how they identify, assess and retain talent, apprenticeship programs offer a proven way to reduce risk. This is especially true for technical roles, where skills requirements are more complex and employers are under increasing pressure to bring new hires to productivity faster.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and IT occupations will generate roughly 317,700 job openings annually through 2034 due to growth and replacement needs. At the same time, industry data shows employer demand for networking talent often exceeds available candidates. As a leading vendor-neutral credential, CompTIA Network+ prepares professionals for these in-demand roles. It is a globally recognized certification that validates the foundational knowledge and hands-on skills required to build, manage and secure modern network infrastructure.