GenAI Studio: News, Tools, and Teaching & Learning FAQs
These sixty minute, weekly sessions – facilitated by Technologists and Pedagogy Experts from the CTLT – are designed for faculty and staff at UBC who are using, or thinking about using, Generative AI tools as part of their teaching, researching, or daily work. Each week we discuss the news of the week, highlight a specific tool for use within teaching and learning, and then hold a question and answer session for attendees.
They run on Zoom every Wednesday from 1pm – 2pm and you can register for upcoming events on the CTLT Events Website.
News of the Week
Each week we discuss several new items that happened in the Generative AI space over the past 7 days. There’s usually a flood of new AI-adjacent news every week – as this industry is moving so fast – so we highlight news articles which are relevant to the UBC community.
This week in AI Anthropic released a critique of Apples’ recent paper on “The Illusion of Thought” in relation to reasoning models and of the claimed reasoning collapse in large models, citing evaluation flaws rather than cognitive limits. Western University launched an AI Teaching Fellows program to integrate generative tools into pedagogy. Professors increasingly turn to handwritten assignments to combat AI-generated plagiarism. A new model capable of continuous learning blurred the line between static and adaptive AI systems. The New York Times examined how AI is creating new, specialized job roles. Meanwhile, AI-driven astrophysics unlocked deeper insights into black hole behaviour. Finally, we shared sessions going on at UBC delving into GenAI’s relationship to critical thinking and teaching and learning.
Here’s this week’s news:
The Illusion of the Illusion of Thinking: A Comment on ‘The Illusion of Thinking’
In response to Apples’ latest paper (Shojaee et al.’s) which claims of reasoning failure in large models, this commentary argues that the apparent collapses stem from flawed experimental design, not inherent limitations. It highlights that token output limits, flawed benchmarks, and unsolvable problem instances led to misclassifications of model performance. When models were tested with alternate formats that avoided these issues, their reasoning capabilities remained intact. The authors advocate for better evaluation methods that distinguish between algorithmic understanding and output constraints.
Explore Athropics’ dissection of Apple’s paper.
Read Apples’ original release: “The Illusion of Thinking” (PDF).
Western University Launches AI Teaching Fellows Program
Western University has introduced a program that integrates generative AI into teaching through newly created roles known as AI Teaching Fellows. These graduate students are tasked with helping instructors incorporate tools like ChatGPT into their courses while fostering responsible AI use among students. The initiative aims to modernize pedagogy and respond to evolving student expectations. It represents a proactive academic approach to both leverage and critically assess AI technologies in the classroom.
Read how Western is using AI fellows to reshape teaching.
Educators Turn to Handwriting Amid Rising AI-Assisted Plagiarism
Faced with escalating AI-generated plagiarism, many university professors are reintroducing handwritten assignments as a safeguard. This shift seeks to reinforce academic integrity and minimize the influence of generative tools in coursework. Faculty report improved authenticity in student submissions but acknowledge challenges in accessibility and grading logistics. The move signals broader pedagogical adjustments in response to evolving AI capabilities.
Read more about professors’ response to AI-driven cheating.
A Model That Never Stops Learning: Continuous Training in the Wild
A feature in Wired profiles an AI model scheme dubbed SEAL (Self Adapting Language Models) that defies static deployment by continuously updating from its environment. Designed to evolve with new data, the system mirrors human-like lifelong learning, avoiding traditional re-training cycles. This approach holds promise for models used in dynamic contexts but raises new concerns about control, bias accumulation, and oversight. The article presents it as a potential paradigm shift for AI system design.
Learn how this AI model challenges static learning conventions.
New York Times Explores Emerging Jobs in the AI Era
As AI continues to reshape the labor market, the New York Times investigates how new job roles are emerging around prompt engineering, AI auditing, and digital content management. The piece profiles workers adapting to and thriving in AI-adjacent positions, blending technical literacy with creativity and oversight. It also raises questions about job displacement and the long-term stability of these new professions. The article paints a complex picture of AI’s evolving impact on employment.
Read the NYT’s deep dive into AI-related job shifts.
AI Unlocks New Insights into the Nature of Black Holes
AI is helping physicists gain unprecedented clarity on the structure and behavior of black holes, according to a new Wired report. Using pattern recognition techniques, researchers are identifying subtle cosmic signals and constructing more accurate models of celestial phenomena. This blend of astrophysics and machine learning is accelerating discoveries that were once elusive or computationally out of reach. The article illustrates how AI can extend scientific observation into domains of extreme complexity.
Discover how AI is transforming black hole research.
POSE Open Research Chat on Generative AI and Critical Thinking
On June 23, this online session will delve into how Generative AI (GenAI) affects perceptions of critical thinking skills in educational and professional contexts. Based on a 2025 study by Hank Lee and colleagues, the discussion will focus on self-reported reductions in cognitive effort and confidence among knowledge workers who rely heavily on GenAI tools. The event will prompt participants to reflect on the implications of AI-assisted reasoning and explore how open research practices can adapt to maintain critical inquiry.
Explore the event details and register.
GenAI and Open Educational Resources in Teaching and Learning
Scheduled for July 16, this interactive POSE session explores the integration of GenAI with Open Educational Resources (OER) in post-secondary education. Participants will examine how generative models can support the creation of dynamic, accessible, and interactive materials, such as AI-assisted textbooks. In addition to hands-on activities like collaboratively generating a chapter, the session addresses legal and ethical considerations including copyright, open licensing, and data privacy.
Explore the event details and register.
Tool of The Week: ComfyUI – Open-sourced Node Based Image Generation
What is ComfyUI?
ComfyUI is a node-based graphical interface designed to build and execute workflows for stable diffusion models. It presents a visual programming environment where users can connect modular components to define image generation processes. The interface is optimized for flexibility, transparency, and customization, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users. Though there still exists a learning curve, ComfyUI presents a window into what future generative interfaces could look like. Available through open-source, ComfyUI allows users direct access to their software.
How is it used?
Users interact with ComfyUI by dragging and connecting nodes that represent different parts of an image generation pipeline—such as model selection, sampling, conditioning, and output. These workflows can be edited visually or scripted directly using JSON, allowing for reproducible and shareable configurations. It also supports features like batch processing, automation, and the integration of custom nodes.
What is it used for?
ComfyUI is primarily used for creating high-quality, AI-generated images using Stable Diffusion. It serves artists, developers, and researchers who want fine-grained control over their generation workflows, enabling experimentation with different models and techniques. ComfyUI supports image expansion, spot-tweaks, and the addition of new details among other features. The platform is also used in production settings for visual content creation and AI art generation.
Download and try ComfyUI yourself.
Questions and Answers
Each studio ends with a question and answer session whereby attendees can ask questions of the pedagogy experts and technologists who facilitate the sessions. We have published a full FAQ section on this site. If you have other questions about GenAI usage, please get in touch.
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Assessment Design using Generative AI
Generative AI is reshaping assessment design, requiring faculty to adapt assignments to maintain academic integrity. The GENAI Assessment Scale guides AI use in coursework, from study aids to full collaboration, helping educators create assessments that balance AI integration with skill development, fostering critical thinking and fairness in learning.
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How can I use GenAI in my course?
In education, the integration of GenAI offers a multitude of applications within your courses. Presented is a detailed table categorizing various use cases, outlining the specific roles they play, their pedagogical benefits, and potential risks associated with their implementation. A Complete Breakdown of each use case and the original image can be found here. At […]