Technology

A person stands indoors pointing to a section of a large academic poster titled “Expectation to Guarantee: Bounding Welfare in Randomized Auctions.” The poster contains mathematical formulas, graphs, and text. The individual wears a dark shirt and is explaining or presenting the material. In the background, a framed black-and-white photograph hangs on the wall above a white woven basket.

Higher Education

California invested millions pushing these careers for women. The results are disappointing

Women continue to lag behind men in certain science, technology, engineering and math programs.

By

Adam Echelman

• August 15, 2025

Education

Free AI training comes to California colleges — but at what cost?

Google, Microsoft, Adobe and IBM will offer AI-related tools to California's schools and universities in an effort to prepare the state’s students for a changing economy.

By

Adam Echelman

• August 11, 2025

Illustration of a woman wearing an prison uniform on a laptop labeled "C.D.C.R."; she's surrounded by a pile of textbooks, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation seal, a search input, a browser window with a lock on it, a crossed-out Wifi symbol and a silhouette of a person in a graduation uniform holding up a diploma

Higher Education

California inmates can take college classes, but often with no internet and limited tech

Even in California, where prison access to technology and research resources is better than average, students regularly face dead ends.

By

Tara García Mathewson

• August 7, 2025

Close-up of fingers interacting with a smartphone screen in a dark setting, illuminated by vivid blue and purple light from the device. The scene emphasizes digital engagement and the glow of technology.

Commentary

Deepfakes pose an obvious peril in politics, but California’s bans amount to censorship

Unfettered use of AI-driven deepfakes in political campaigns present an obvious peril, but so does any effort to prohibit free speech — no matter how distasteful.

By

Dan Walters

• August 7, 2025

A person uses a smartphone to browse an online clothing store. The screen displays a product page for a denim jacket with a shearling collar priced at $219. The individual is about to tap the "Buy it now" button, with one hand holding the phone and the other poised to make the selection. The background is softly blurred, suggesting a home setting with natural light filtering in through windows.

Politics

Should Lyft and Uber charge more if your battery is low? California may soon ban that

California lawmakers want to ban companies from using data about consumers’ devices like battery life, model and geolocation to set fluctuating prices. Proponents say such “surveillance pricing” is discriminatory.

By

Maya C. Miller

• August 4, 2025

Two students sit at a round classroom table focused on writing. One is writing on white paper while the other holds a bright orange sheet with notes. A bottle of water and an energy drink sit on the table. A whiteboard with faint writing and a canister of cleaning spray are visible in the background.

Higher Education

It’s not just about cheating. How AI is quietly eroding college students’ networks

Chatbots may give students quick answers when they have questions, but they won’t help students form relationships that matter for college and life success.

By

Tara García Mathewson

• July 16, 2025

Commentary

Why California’s attorney general must continue the investigation into OpenAI

While disputes over governance structures and the legalities of nonprofit ownership may seem tedious and disconnected from the lives of everyday people, OpenAI’s future has huge implications for the well-being of society.

By Orson Aguilar and Catherine Bracy • July 9, 2025

An illustration in pink and dark purple tones that shows the silhouette of a student holding a piece of paper as they stand in the middle of a cyberspace grid. A white paper with highlighted text can be seen in the background behind the student as pink boxes with exclamation points float around.

Higher Education

Costly and unreliable: AI and plagiarism detectors wreak havoc in higher ed

Colleges and universities renew Turnitin subscriptions year after year even though its flawed detectors are expensive and require students to let the company keep their papers forever.

By

Tara García Mathewson

• June 26, 2025