Stanford’s Erik Brynjolfsson argued in the Financial Times that U.S. productivity saw a sharp uptick in 2025—roughly a 2.7% rise—and that the economy may be moving from heavy AI investment into a harvest phase where earlier spending yields measurable output. Brynjolfsson, director of Stanford’s Digital Economy Lab, cited revised Bureau of Labor Statistics job data and his own analysis. Apollo Chief Economist Torsten Slok warned that macroeconomic data still show limited AI impact, echoing Robert Solow’s quip about PCs. Both voices frame an active debate over timing and scale of AI’s effects on labor and productivity. For universities, the debate matters for research funding, workforce training, and curriculum planning: if a productivity inflection is real, institutions should reassess partnerships, scale up AI-focused programs, and prepare for shifting employer demands; if it’s premature, colleges risk over-investing in short-lived initiatives.