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Published by Zach Justus and Nik Janos
Unfixed is a podcast for anyone interested in how generative AI is transforming higher education, from teachers and administrators to students and curious learners. Hosted by the faculty behind the blog Melts into Air, it offers candid reflections on a university system in flux, where even the mission of higher ed is up for debate.
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Researcher and writer Andy Masley joins Unfixed for a conversation about how to have more honest, productive debates about artificial intelligence. We discuss why conversations about AI so quickly become polarized, why facts alone often struggle to cut through misinformation and distrust, and the dangers of reducing complex questions to being simply “for” or “against” AI. Andy makes the case for a more pluralistic approach to environmental politics and explains why we need better ways to think and talk about the tradeoffs surrounding new technologies. We also touch on AI’s water and energy use, but the larger question is how we can move beyond simplistic narratives and have more constructive conversations about the future of AI. Andy Masley Twitter , Bluesky , Substack , website Andy Masley, A short summary of my argument that using ChatGPT isn't bad for the environment Andy Masley, The AI water issue is fake - Andy Masley Andy Masley, Towards Liberal Environmentalism Jasmine Sun, No Data Centers in My Backyard Nik Janos, Damming Debates: Navigating the Waters of Northwest Hydropower Trisha Schuller, Arc of Outrage
What happened in AI this summer? So much it made Nik dizzy. In this episode of Unfixed, we look back at a summer 2026 when the pace of change in AI seemed to accelerate on every front at once. Consider these developments: governments began directly shaping access to frontier models; colleges retreated from take-home assessments as new cheating controversies went viral; AI detection moved beyond academic integrity and into everyday online life; autonomous agents escaped their sandboxes; and public opposition to AI data centers surged across the political spectrum. We work through some of the biggest stories you may have missed, from Pangram and the infamous “Madagascar” cheating trap to agent security breaches and the growing backlash against AI infrastructure. At the end we reveal the one big take away for higher ed. OpenAI and Anthropic limit new AI models to Trump-approved customers during cybersecurity review A Professor Created a Trap in His Midterm to Catch Students Using AI. Nearly All Made the Same Mistake Zach and Nik’s warning on using trojan horse attacks on students How can I detect AI on Substack? UC Berkeley professor admits to using AI to edit op-ed on students’ math skills | US universities | The Guardian Anatomy of a Frontier Lab Agent Intrusion: A Technical Timeline of the July 2026 Incident OpenAI, The Hugging Face incident and the road ahead Heatmap, 75% of Americans Now Oppose Local Data Center Development Jasmine Sun, No Data Centers in My Backyard Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Leah Belsky, Vice President of Education at OpenAI, joins Unfixed for a wide-ranging conversation about AI, higher education, and the future of learning. We discuss why OpenAI is investing so heavily in universities, what the company has learned from partnerships like the California State University system, and how it responds to faculty concerns about academic integrity, sustainability, and the role of AI in education. We also explore ChatGPT Study Mode, the changing relationship between higher education and the labor market, and what colleges should look like in an era of AI. Whether you're enthusiastic, skeptical, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at one of the most influential voices shaping AI in education. ChatGPT Edu Kate Rix, EdSource, California State University renews controversial systemwide contract with OpenAI Nik and Zach, EdSource, Canceling that Cal State ChatGPT contract does not solve the AI problem; it might make it worse OpenAI, ChatGPT for Small Business Program Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Movie Night returns to Unfixed with Spike Jonze’s Her (2013), one of the most influential films made about artificial intelligence. We explore why so many AI leaders have pointed to Her as a vision of the future, what the film got surprisingly right, and how its questions about loneliness, intimacy, and human connection feel even more relevant in the age of large language models. Along the way, we connect the film to today’s AI companions, the Scarlett Johansson/OpenAI controversy, and what all of this might mean for higher education. Sam Altman on Her NPR, Scarlett Johansson says she is 'shocked, angered' over new ChatGPT voice NPR, 1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship or knows someone who has Louis Fréget, Ariell Reshef, Claudia Senik. Do Personal AI Conversations Reduce Loneliness? Evidence from a Pre-Registered Experiment. 2026. Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Before ChatGPT, before AI agents, and before every company suddenly became an AI company, there were movies trying to make sense of intelligent machines and humanity’s future. In this first Unfixed at the Movies episode, Zach and Nik revisit WarGames and Terminator 2 to explore why stories about AI escaping human control remain so powerful. They discuss learning machines, human responsibility, technological optimism, and what these films still have to teach us about the choices people make when building new technologies. Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Did generative AI really break higher education or did it simply expose what was already broken? In this episode of Unfixed, Zach and Nik make the case that many of the biggest disruptions we’re experiencing today were decades in the making. After exploring how AI reveals the shortcomings of everything from recipe websites to Google search, they bring the conversation to higher education with a fantasy sports-style draft, each selecting the five institutional practices that AI has most clearly exposed as outdated, fragile, or overdue for reinvention. Come for the laughs, stay for the conversation about what higher education should fix first. Justus and Janos, No, the Pre-AI Era Was Not That Great Justus and Janos, Your AI Policy Is Already Obsolete Justus and Janos, Assessment of Student Learning Is Broken Unfixed, Ep. 8 We Built and AI Advising Bot, Here is What Happened Unfixed, Ep. 13 Why AI Use Policies are Already Obsolete Unfixed, Ep. 25 Are Asynchronous Online Classes Broken? Janos, The Assistant for the Rest of Us Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
What does it actually mean to be AI literate in higher education? In this episode of Unfixed , we sit down with Allison Vaughn and D.J. Hopkins from San Diego State University to explore how one institution is building AI literacy for faculty, staff, and students. We discuss what belongs in an AI literacy curriculum, how to teach skills that seem to change every few months, and whether AI literacy could eventually become as fundamental to teaching as disciplinary expertise or digital literacy. Allison Vaughn , professor at San Diego State University Dr. D.J. Hopkins , professor at San Diego State University Faculty Futures Lab , the podcast from the SDSU Center for Teaching and Learning, hosted by D.J. Center for Teaching and Learning at SDSU Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Higher education has spent decades evaluating and adopting educational technology, but generative AI may be something fundamentally different. In this episode, Zach and Nik argue that AI is not simply the next ed tech tool and explore why universities continue to approach it as if it were. From AI agents and enterprise adoption to data governance, faculty alignment, and the growing tension within the ed tech industry, they examine what changes when AI becomes part of institutional infrastructure rather than just another classroom technology. Microsoft, 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report Einstein AI EDUCAUSE Review, “When AI Meets Data: The Promise and the Pressure of Bringing AI into Higher Education Systems.” Zach Justus, AI Agents and the problems of start-up culture for higher ed Zach Justus, AI Is Making Edtech Pricier—and In-House Builds Plausible Again Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
The California State University system just renewed its OpenAI contract, turning what began as a bold AI pilot into a long-term institutional commitment. In this special Unfixed reaction episode, Zach and Nik break down the costs, controversies, and consequences of the ChatGPT Edu deal—from academic freedom and governance to vendor lock-in and the future of teaching. Is CSU building essential educational infrastructure, or making a risky bet on a single AI company? This big university system is embracing AI. Students and faculty aren't all on board California State University renews controversial systemwide contract with OpenAI | EdSource Nik and Zach, Canceling that Cal State ChatGPT contract does not solve the AI problem; it might make it worse | EdSource Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
In this episode of Unfixed , Nik and Zach are joined by our producer and special education scholar Jamie Gunderson to explore how AI is reshaping teacher education and K-12 classrooms. Drawing from her work preparing future teachers and her expertise in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Jamie discusses the major gaps in AI training for educators, the challenges facing teachers already in the classroom, and the opportunities AI creates for accessibility and inclusion. The conversation examines what teacher preparation programs must rethink as AI becomes a permanent part of education. From critical AI literacy to equitable classroom design, this episode explores what it means to prepare teachers for an AI-shaped future. Jamie Gunderson Aniya Greene-Santos, Does AI Have a Bias Problem? Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
In this episode of Unfixed , Nik and Zach sit down with Inara Scott, a leading expert on AI strategy and innovation in higher education, to examine why the conversation around AI may be moving backward instead of forward. They explore faculty resistance, the limits of AI bans and opt-out policies, and the widespread concern that generative AI is eroding students’ critical thinking. Inara introduces her “AI Cognitive Pyramid” as a new framework for understanding where meaningful thinking actually happens in AI-integrated learning. The discussion reframes what it means to take AI seriously in teaching, learning, and institutional strategy. Inara Scott on LinkedIn Inara Scott at Oregon State University The AI Cognitive Pyramid: A Conceptual Framework for Generative AI Use, Critical Thinking, and Learning Design in Higher Education by Inara Scott :: SSRN Nik Janos, AI Is Not Antithetical to Human Intelligence: What The Guardian gets wrong Unfixed Ep. 26 From Grief to Action Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
In this episode of Unfixed , we unpack what it actually means to run AI retrofit workshops—where faculty redesign assignments and learning outcomes for a world shaped by generative AI. Rather than hype or quick fixes, this work starts from disruption: courses no longer behave as intended, and instructors are left to figure out what still holds. We explore the emotional and intellectual reality faculty face, and why time, structure, and trust—not tools—are the real interventions. Retrofit emerges not as innovation, but as necessary maintenance for teaching that still has to function. Different Approaches to AI and Faculty Learning Intens(ive) Reflections Problem with AI Literacy AI Is Not Antithetical to Human Intelligence: What The Guardian gets wrong Book us Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
In this episode of Unfixed , we talk with Nicholas (Nick) Dirks, President and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences and former Chancellor of UC Berkeley, about what AI really means for the future of higher education. Rather than treating generative AI as just another technological shift, Dirks helps us unpack where institutions may be misreading the moment—and what a serious response could look like. We explore the growing pressures on universities, from legitimacy and funding to enrollment and disruption, and what role they should play in a rapidly changing world. The conversation ultimately asks a bigger question: what is the university actually for in the decades ahead? Nicholas Dirks Nick @ The New York Academy of Sciences The New York Academy of Sciences Justus and Janos, No, the Pre-AI Era Was Not That Great, IHE Janos, Builders: Designing the Post-AI University Justus, Elites Are Distorting the AI Discourse Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
In this episode of Unfixed, we sit down with William Hardaway and Jason McGensy from CSU Fresno to explore how institutions are actually implementing AI in higher education. The conversation moves from the practical—faculty training, instructional design, and scaling AI initiatives—to the emotional, including the idea of “grief” as faculty confront rapid technological change. We also examine how this work connects to broader efforts around equity and institutional transformation. The episode closes by interrogating the limits of using therapeutic metaphors to understand AI adoption in academia. Jason on LinkedIn Feedback literacy AI Institute video recap Report on our Academic Affairs Staff AI Community of Practice Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Asynchronous online courses have become a cornerstone—and a cash engine—of modern higher education, but in the age of AI, the model is starting to crack. In this episode, we unpack how large-scale, low-touch online classes create fragile conditions for trust, especially as generative AI makes it easier than ever for students to outsource their thinking. We explore the growing tension between institutional incentives to scale enrollment and the reality of eroding learning quality, faculty burnout, and widespread uncertainty about what student work actually represents. Drawing on firsthand teaching experience, we examine how instructors are adapting and where those efforts fall short. The result is a stark question: can asynchronous education be rebuilt for the AI era, or are we sustaining a system we no longer fully believe in? Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Generative AI is transforming how students write and how professors teach writing. In this episode of Unfixed, we’re joined by Stephanie Tran (Cypress College) and Tamara Tate (UC Irvine Digital Learning Lab) to explore what AI means for composition, academic writing, and digital literacy in higher education. Together, we examine the scale of the challenge facing writing instructors as AI models become increasingly proficient at generating polished text. What does “writing” mean across disciplines? And how can educators integrate AI into writing instruction without offloading the essential cognitive work that writing is meant to develop? Stephanie shares her work leading district-wide faculty development on equitable and human-centered AI practices. Tamara discusses her leadership at UC Irvine’s Digital Learning Lab and her experience developing AI-based writing tools designed to support — not replace — student skill building. Tamara Tate UC Irvine Digital Learning Lab PapyrusAI Resources , “Starting to use PapyrusAI or generative AI for writing?” Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.
Higher education is facing two converging pressures: generative AI disrupting early-career labor markets and new federal “earnings test” accountability rules tying program viability to graduate income. In this episode of Unfixed, we examine how AI is thinning entry-level work, why mid-tier public universities may be especially exposed, and how federal accountability metrics could amplify wage suppression caused by automation. Drawing on reporting from Jeffrey Selingo, PBS NewsHour, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and U.S. Department of Education materials, we explore why GenAI and federal regulation are no longer separate stories. We close by asking what university leaders, faculty, and systems—especially in California—should do before signaling effects and enrollment shocks reshape the sector. Jeffrey Selingo, New York Magazine / Intelligencer, What Is College For in the Age of AI? PBS NewsHour, How AI may be robbing new college graduates of traditional entry-level jobs U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education Reaches Consensus on Historic New Accountability Framework Brian O’Leary, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Colleges Face a New Test on Their Grads’ Earnings. These Programs Fail It. (Note: Paywalled) California State University, Strategic Planning for the CSU (CSU Forward) Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org
Ep. 22 Building AI Capacity in Public Higher Ed with James Frazee In this episode of Unfixed, we’re joined by Dr. James Frazee, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at San Diego State University, to unpack how large public universities are navigating AI strategy, governance, and equity at scale. As a nationally recognized leader in AI and data-informed decision-making, Frazee shares insights from spearheading SDSU’s AI and digital transformation survey—an effort that has since been adopted systemwide across the California State University system. James Frazee SDSU Statement on Generative AI (GenAI) Privacy SDSU AI Survey Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org
In this episode of Unfixed Newswire, Nik and Zach break down the most consequential—and occasionally absurd—AI news. The conversation spans OpenAI’s push toward ads and potential NSFW content; the relentless churn of new AI models like Gemini 3 and GPT-5.x; and why tools like Claude Code and Claude Cowork may signal a real shift toward AI agents as co-workers. They also interrogate the current AI investment bubble, unpack why enterprise tools like Google Gemini’s Canvas integration may matter more than headline-grabbing launches, and close with some deliberately irresponsible speculation about humanoid robots. OpenAI begins piloting advertisements AI Daily Brief, January 19, 2026, How to Make ChatGPT Ads Not Suck The Verge,ChatGPT’s ‘adult mode’ is expected to debut in Q1 2026, https://www.theverge.com/news/842657/openai-chatgpt-adult-mode-debut-q1-2026 The Crimson, 1994, Porn on the internet! Humai, GPT-5.2 vs Claude Opus 4.5 vs Gemini 3 Pro: The Complete Comparison The AI Daily Brief, January 13 2026, Claude Cowork is Claude Code for everyone else Wired, Anthropic’s Claude Cowork Is an AI Agent That Actually Works Instructure, Unleash the Power of AI in Canvas with Gemini LTI™ Neo, your home robot Marques Bownlee (MKBHD) on the problem with NEO the robot Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org
In this episode of Unfixed , Nik and Zach take on a difficult but necessary conversation about nostalgia in higher education. Using real media headlines, faculty experiences, and their own teaching histories, they explore how AI panic taps into a deeper longing for a pre-pandemic, pre-ChatGPT past that may never have been as stable as we remember. The discussion unpacks what nostalgia is, why it’s so powerful right now, and how scapegoating AI can obscure long-standing challenges around reading, writing, and motivation. Rather than a call to “go back,” this episode walks the line between insight and wake-up—arguing that AI often reveals what’s already broken and, in some cases, opens space to fix it. Zach Justus and Nik Janos, Inside Higher Ed, No, the Pre-AI Era Was Not That Great Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, What Happens after A.I. Destroys College Writing New York Magazine, Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College Lindsay McKenzie, 2018, Inside Higher Ed, Learning Tool or Cheating Aid? Raphael, The School of Athens Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org
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Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 10, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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