Hampton University could rejoin Virginia’s land-grant lineup, positioning the Historically Black College and University ( HBCU ) to regain federal funding it lost over a century ago and expand access to programs connected to agriculture, engineering, and other applied sciences. The restoration could also open up opportunities for STEM workforce training, labs, and research, HBCU Game Day reported. Sen. Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) introduced Senate Bill 274 on Jan. 13, 2026 to reinstate the school’s status and funding, and leaders from Hampton University spoke with the Virginia Senate Higher Education Subcommittee on the matter. They told the subcommittee that the school had held land-grant status from 1872 to 1920, according to the outlet. The federal government’s decision in 1920 to remove the designation rested on the belief that only one Black institution per state could hold land-grant status, leaving Virginia State University, HBCU Game Day shared. However, Hampton President...
Now is a better time than ever to bet on yourself — at least according to Joel Roache. The former mechanical engineer and now full-time content creator did just that when he applied for — and went on to become the first-ever grand prize winner of — Stan’s “Dare To Dream” Challenge in 2025, taking home $120,000. Stan Store is an all-in-one, creator-focused e-commerce platform, according to its website. For his submission video sharing his dream, Roache spotlighted his company, Creative Minds, a Christian-led retreat that brings creators together for several weeks to focus on connection — an element that has been central to his journey into content creation from the very beginning. “Creation as a whole, being a creative person and trying to pursue that over standard living, is very uncommon. It’s very, very, very lonely,” Roache shared in an interview with AFROTECH™. “So I wanted to talk about the pursuit of finding people who are more similar. It’s the one thing that I think is kind...
TikTok will remain operational in the United States following an agreement by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance , to create a majority American-owned joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. The company announced the deal’s finalization in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, averting a potential U.S. ban on the popular social media platform. The deal allows more than 200 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses “to continue to discover, create, and thrive as part of TikTok’s vibrant global community and experience,” per the release. “The majority American-owned Joint Venture will operate under defined safeguards that protect national security through comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurances for U.S. users,” the news release states. Under the agreement, three managing investors — including cloud computing company Oracle , private equity firm Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX — will each hold a 15%...
Eightfold AI is at the center of a new lawsuit filed by job seekers who want greater transparency into how artificial intelligence evaluates job applicants. Two women with STEM backgrounds have filed the lawsuit alleging that Eightfold’s AI unfairly screened them out of roles for which they were qualified at companies such as Microsoft and PayPal , according to a news release from law firm Outten & Golden. The plaintiffs argue that AI-powered hiring systems should be regulated under the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970, the same law that governs credit bureaus, because these AI tools collect personal data and significantly influence employment decisions. Erin Kistler, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, has decades of experience in the technology industry, The New York Times reports . Yet after applying to thousands of jobs in the past year, with several applications processed through Eightfold’s software system, only 0.3% resulted in a follow-up or interview, she shared. “I...
Student loan borrowers in default will have additional time to bring their accounts current before involuntary collections on federal loans resume. The U.S. Department of Education announced on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2026, that it is delaying collection efforts for defaulted federal student loans, including wage garnishment and the Treasury Offset Program (TOP). Per the news release, the temporary pause will remain in effect through July 2026, giving the Education Department more time to implement major student loan repayment reforms under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act signed in 2025. This will also provide borrowers with more time to consider the new repayment options, loan consolidation, or a rehabilitation program. In addition to a single standard repayment plan, the reforms include a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan that waives unpaid interest for borrowers who make on-time payments but those payments do not fully cover accrued interest. In some instances, the Department...
Netflix, Inc. has amended its acquisition agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to an all-cash offer at $27.75 per share, replacing the previously proposed cash and stock deal, the company announced in a press release on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Financing for the transition will come from a combination of cash on hand, available credit facilities, and committed funding, notes the release. “Today’s revised merger agreement brings us even closer to combining two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world and, with it, even more people enjoying the entertainment they love to watch the most,” WDB president and CEO David Zaslav said in the release. Per the press release, Netflix said the all-cash structure provides “enhanced certainty” for WBD shareholders, easing concerns about fluctuations in Netflix’s stock price. The company added in the release that the revised offer is expected to accelerate the transaction timeline, with a shareholder vote anticipated by April 2026....
The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization that operates Wikipedia, celebrated the platform’s 25th anniversary by announcing new partnerships with several leading technology and AI companies. In a news release issued Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, the foundation shared that Ecosia, Microsoft, Mistral AI, Perplexity , Pleias, and ProRata have joined existing tech partners — including Amazon, Google, and Meta — to support Wikipedia’s sustainability. Wikipedia And The AI Age Under the agreements, partner companies will be able to access content from Wikimedia projects at customized volumes and speeds, notes the release. The partnerships are part of Wikimedia Enterprise, a program that allows companies to pay for structured access to Wikipedia’s data to develop and train AI models. “Wikipedia shows that knowledge is human, and knowledge needs humans. Especially now, in the age of AI, we need the human-powered knowledge of Wikipedia more than ever,” Selena Deckelmann, Wikimedia...
Google Gemini is becoming more personalized with a new feature that tailors chatbot responses using data from users’ connected apps. Josh Woodward, Google’s vice president of Google Labs, Gemini, and AI Studio, announced the opt-in feature — called Personal Intelligence — in a blog post on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. The update allows Gemini to draw on information from apps such as Gmail, YouTube , Google Search, and Google Photos to deliver more relevant and contextual responses. “Personal Intelligence has two core strengths: reasoning across complex sources and retrieving specific details from, say, an email or photo to answer your question,” per the blog post. “It often combines these, working across text, photos, and video to provide uniquely tailored answers.” How Personal Intelligence Works In the blog post, Woodward shared several examples of how his “daily life has gotten easier” since using Personal Intelligence. In one instance, he asked Gemini for help buying new tires for...
As AI reshapes how students of all ages learn, retain information, and complete assignments, some enrollees at Louisiana State University (LSU) are facing cheating allegations. The allegations have created a significant backlog for the university’s Student Advocacy and Accountability Board (SAA), which reviews academic misconduct cases, many of them now tied to suspected AI use, WAFB 9 News reports. Suspected AI Use Puts Student’s Scholarship At Risk One student, identified only as Sarah, told WAFB 9 she was at risk of losing her scholarship after a professor gave her a zero on an assignment, claiming it was “93% AI-written.” “So, then I turn to the other people in my class, and they’re like, yeah, we got zeroes on it,” Sarah recalled. “We don’t know what’s happening. We email her. She emails us back and says she’s reported us to SAA.” Sarah said she received an automated message from the SAA after reaching out. The office informed her that it was backed up and that a case manager...
Morris Brown College, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) based in Atlanta, GA, has parted ways with Kevin James as its president. James, the institution’s 19th president, shared the news in a LinkedIn post on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, saying the Board of Trustees fired him “without providing a specific cause or substantive explanation.” “This action is deeply concerning,” James wrote. “Research and my lived experience demonstrate that many HBCUs have struggled with board overreach and interference. Unfortunately, those dynamics are evident in this situation.” James said the Board’s decision “disregards established governance best practices” and violates his presidential contract, which runs through 2029. He shared plans to “pursue all rights and remedies” available under the agreement. “Morris Brown College has literally made history under my leadership as President,” James said in his post, citing a successful annual evaluation and continually strong performance...
College educators are reportedly rethinking their teaching methods as Gen Z students arrive on campus with weaker reading skills than previous generations. Nearly half of all Americans did not read a single book in 2025, and reading habits have declined by roughly 40% over the past decade, Fortune reports . Gen Z continues to lag behind other generations: Americans aged 18–29 read an average of just 5.8 books in 2025, the outlet notes. How Professors Are Adjusting Their Teaching Jessica Hooten Wilson, a professor of great books and humanities at Pepperdine University, told Fortune that some students now arrive in her classroom struggling to read even a single sentence or engage in basic critical thinking. Rather than lowering expectations, Wilson has adapted her approach to instruction. She now reads passages aloud with students, analyzes texts line by line, and returns repeatedly to a single poem or passage throughout a semester. The goal, she says, is to help students rebuild...
Instagram is addressing confusion after some users reported receiving unexpected password reset emails in recent days. In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, the social media platform owned by Meta Platforms said there was no security breach and that users can safely ignore the emails. “We fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people,” Instagram wrote. “There was no breach of our systems and your Instagram accounts are secure. You can ignore those emails — sorry for any confusion.” The clarification follows reports from users who received the password reset messages on Friday, Jan. 9. AFROTECH™ reviewed one of the emails sent to affected users. “Hi [username], We got a request to reset your Instagram password,” the email reads, followed by a prompt encouraging users to take action. “If you ignore this message, your password will not be changed. If you didn’t request a password reset, let us know.” Screenshots taken via...
Student loan borrowers in default will soon face wage garnishment and the withholding of federal benefits as the Trump administration moves to resume debt collection after a pause started during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of Education began sending notices to delinquent borrowers outlining plans to restart wage garnishment beginning Jan. 7, 2026, USA Today reports. As previously shared by AFROTECH™ , nearly 1,000 borrowers will receive notice in the first round that their wages will be garnished, with that number expected to grow over time. What Is Wage Garnishment? Wage garnishment is a legal process that allows a creditor or agency to withhold a portion of an employee’s paycheck to repay a debt, typically after obtaining a court judgment, according to USA Today. The amount withheld depends on the type of debt and applicable state and federal laws. Garnishment generally ends once the employee repays their debt, the order is revoked, or the time period specified in...
For those wondering, “What’s happening with Apple’s credit card?” — the tech giant announced on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, that Chase will become its new issuer. The change will replace Goldman Sachs, which has backed Apple Card since its launch in 2019, and will take place over the next two years. “Apple is an iconic brand recognized globally for its innovation, design excellence, and commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences,” Allison Beer, Chase’s CEO of Card & Connected Commerce, said in a statement. She added, “We share a commitment to supporting consumer financial health, and we’re proud to deepen our relationship by welcoming them as the newest partner in our industry-leading co-brand credit card program. We’re excited to innovate together in the future.” Apple Card users can continue to use their cards as usual during the transition. Managing balances, accessing savings accounts , and applying for new cards will remain the same for now. Mastercard will also...
Stripe , a global financial infrastructure platform that enables businesses to accept online and in-person payments, has entered into a partnership with Crypto.com, according to a Jan. 6, 2026, news release. Under the agreement, Crypto.com Pay will become a checkout option for millions of Stripe-powered merchants, while Crypto.com will use Stripe’s payment-acquiring services for card purchases. “Increasing everyday accessibility to and utility of cryptocurrencies for consumers and merchants is central to our vision at Crypto.com,” Joe Anzures, Crypto.com’s general manager for the Americas and EVP of payments, said in a statement. “We are excited to partner with Stripe, a recognized leader in digital payments, to collectively catalyze a new era for crypto-enabled commerce.” Crypto.com operates a comprehensive cryptocurrency platform that includes an app, exchange, and wallet for buying, selling, trading, and earning digital assets , serving more than 150 million users in 90...