This weekly update showcases how agentic AI is revolutionizing education and learning around the globe, with major announcements coming from universities and companies.

The most surprising news comes from Arizona State University in the United States, where will.i.am, the famous rapper from the Black Eyed Peas, will become a professor. He will teach a groundbreaking course called "The Agentic Self" starting in spring 2026. This 15-week class represents something completely new in higher education.

will.i.am brings more than just musical fame to this role. He has been working with AI technology for over ten years and founded a tech company called i.am+ in 2013. His company has created products like smartwatches and headphones, and even bought an Israeli AI company in 2016. As an adviser to major companies, he understands how AI affects jobs and wants to help students prepare for the future.

The course will be taught in a very modern way. Some students will attend classes in will.i.am's Hollywood studio, while others will join from ASU classrooms in Los Angeles, Arizona, or even online. This mixed approach shows how technology is breaking down the walls of traditional classrooms.

Students in the class will do something amazing - they will work with will.i.am to build an AI universal learning companion. This AI helper will be personalized for each student and they can keep it throughout their entire learning and career journey. The goal is to help students understand their digital selves while learning to work with AI agents.

The partnership between ASU and will.i.am goes beyond just one class. They are creating a new education platform called EDU.FYI, built using NVIDIA technology. This platform will give ASU faculty and students advanced tools to use AI, create AI agents, and work together in new ways.

ASU is also hosting a major international conference called "Agentic AI and the Student Experience" from October 22-24, 2025. Over 500 education and industry leaders from around the world will gather to discuss how AI systems that can think and act on their own are changing education. Companies like Robots & Pencils, an AI-first consulting firm, are sponsoring the event and will show how cloud technology and AI can work together in education.

The changes are not just happening in universities. Corporate training is being transformed by agentic AI in companies worldwide. These AI systems are much smarter than simple chatbots - they can plan multiple steps, work with other tools, and take action to help employees learn.

Traditional company training systems mostly just stored courses and tracked who finished them. Now, agentic AI can detect when an employee needs new skills by looking at their work data. The AI can then automatically create a personalized learning path with micro-lessons, practice activities, and real work tasks. It can even schedule reminders and follow-ups.

Experts describe these AI systems as "career co-pilots" that learn alongside employees. Instead of interrupting work to take a course, the AI can provide help exactly when and where it's needed. For example, an AI agent might appear inside work software like Salesforce to give quick coaching tips related to the specific task at hand.

However, there are important challenges to consider. Many employees are already using AI to quickly complete compliance training without really learning the material. This creates risks for companies because the learning isn't actually sticking. HR teams need to find better ways to measure real learning, not just course completion rates.

The solution is not to block AI tools, but to teach employees how to lead AI agents effectively. This includes learning to delegate tasks to AI, direct the AI toward learning goals, and check the quality of what the AI produces. Companies are building knowledge bases of their policies and connecting them to AI systems so employees can ask questions and get instant answers.

Looking ahead, these changes represent a fundamental shift in how we think about learning and education. Whether in universities or companies, agentic AI is moving us away from static courses toward dynamic, personalized experiences that adapt to each learner's needs.