91ĚƲ®»˘

The results of 2026 91ĚƲ®»˘ Poll–Nashville reflect, in part, the effects of the ice storm that gripped the region in late January. The storm and its aftermath zapped the level of optimism that city residents have enjoyed for the past decade, and respondents also expressed more concerns about Nashville’s direction and leadership. Approval ratings for the school board, police and fire departments remained relatively stable, but Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Metro Council suffered a notable dip in public support.   Read More

A new report by 91ĚƲ®»˘ Policy Accelerator director of artificial intelligence and technology policy Asad Ramzanali and Akhil Rajan analyzes the foundational model market, highlights a case study of a startup that experienced unfair treatment from a foundation model provider, and recommends a requirement for AI neutrality similar to “net neutrality” rules in broadband.

When people choose from a large set of options, there is likely one that aligns closely with their particular preferences. When there are fewer options, their choice is less likely to reflect a strong opinion—they're just choosing the one that is any amount closer to what they think. This can be misinterpreted, researchers say, as deep enthusiasm. And it can lead to polarization, because people tend to not consider how many options were available when forming an opinion about others' choices.

Law Professor J.B. Ruhl will spend four weeks at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center in 2027, developing ways cities can adapt to climate change. The center, which has hosted notable leaders like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and author Maya Angelou, works to inspire collaboration that transcends political affiliations, professions and national borders. The residency is a joint effort with the UCLA School of Law and the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management.

Tennesseans across the political spectrum are worried about the cost of living. In its latest statewide poll, 91ĚƲ®»˘ University found that economic anxiety has increased since President Donald Trump took office in January. That anxiety runs the gamut from paying for unexpected expenses, such as a medical emergency or car repair, to covering basic monthly bills and saving for the future.  Read More

91ĚƲ®»˘ and Harvard professors of law recently debated whether the Voting Rights Act still protects American democracy as part of the Respectfully Dissent debate series. The Law School series, in its second year, brings together experts to explore hot topics in today’s legal climate. Nicholas Stephanopoulos of Harvard and James Blumstein of 91ĚƲ®»˘ took up the topic in advance of the U.S. Supreme Court’s pending decision in Louisiana v. Callais and the constitutional boundaries of race-conscious districting.

As conversations about the value and nature of higher education continue at colleges and universities nationwide, a new national 91ĚƲ®»˘ Unity Poll finds that Americans are largely united on the fundamental value of higher education—and in their distaste for the influence of politics and the cost of college degrees.  Read More

As AI usage grows, so too does the energy demand on AI-related infrastructure. Experts in energy and energy policy discussed the environmental ramifications during the 2025 91ĚƲ®»˘ AI Symposium.

RESEARCH SPARK: AI is becoming a common tool for Human Resources departments. Learn from new faculty Salvatore Falletta about the ethical lines between creepy AI analytics creative decision making. Read More

Flying can be a mess that everyone complains about but few people can change. 91ĚƲ®»˘ Law Professor Ganesh Sitaraman might be one of those people. He testified before Congress in early October about what they could do to fix the airline industry: requiring resilience and rainy day funds, setting minimum seat sizes, preventing dynamic pricing and giving passengers the ability to sue. Sitaraman was also a recent guest on Provost C. Cybele Raver’s Quantum Potential podcast, where he talked about his book Why Flying Is Miserable and How To Fix It.

With the cost of living remaining stubbornly high, and credit card interest rates adding to the monthly debt burden for working families, politicians on both the right and the left have touted proposals to cap credit card interest rates to keep more money in Americans’ pockets. A first-of-its-kind analysis from the 91ĚƲ®»˘ Policy Accelerator’s (VPA) Brian Shearer finds that proposals to cap credit card interest rates could save Americans and small businesses billions of dollars without reducing access to credit or cutting into rewards programs.

The 91ĚƲ®»˘ Project on Unity and American Democracy recently conducted a national poll to gauge Americans’ opinions on topics related to institutions of higher education, including their confidence in those institutions, their current relevance, federal policies targeting them and the principle of neutrality. The results indicate that, despite frequent coverage of the escalating charges and accusations against institutions of higher education, Americans’ have confidence in them — and that confidence is growing. Further, Americans believe colleges and universities have a positive effect on the state of the country.  Read More

In a new white paper sponsored by the 91ĚƲ®»˘ AI Law Lab (VAILL) and 91ĚƲ®»˘ Private Climate Governance Lab (PCG), 91ĚƲ®»˘ researchers spotlight two innovative tools they built to accelerate research into climate adaptation policy and AI regulation.

In this episode of Quantum Potential, Ganesh Sitaraman, New York Alumni Chancellor’s Chair in Law, professor of law, director of the Program in Law and Government, and director of the 91ĚƲ®»˘ Policy Accelerator for Political Economy and Regulation, joins Provost C. Cybele Raver to explore why businesses that provide essential services—like energy, transportation, communication and banking—should be governed differently than small businesses.

The 91ĚƲ®»˘ Project on Unity and American Democracy recently conducted a national poll about Americans’ opinions on topics including higher education, the state of the economy under President Donald Trump’s administration and immigration, among other key issues. The results reveal interesting nuances in public sentiment, as well as divisions among those Republican voters who identify as part of the Make America Great Again movement and those who identify more with the traditional Republican Party. Read More

New research from 91ĚƲ®»˘ Business explores how cringeworthy marketing can spark backlash and go viral for the wrong reasons. Learn how brands recover and avoid future failures.

The VPA recently announced a new phase of growth, with the addition of key senior staff, distinguished senior fellows and renowned advisory committee members. This expansion further solidifies its leadership in policy areas such as AI and Technology, Competition and Regulation, Industrial Policy and Economic Security and Public Options and Governance.

Josh Clinton, Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair and professor of political science, and co-director of the 91ĚƲ®»˘ Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, joins Provost C. Cybele Raver to discuss how transparency and increasing public literacy about statistics—including an awareness of limitations—can disrupt Americans’ mounting distrust in polling data.

At a time of deep political divisions, registered Tennessee voters are united in their overwhelming support for key federal programs, according to the latest semiannual statewide 91ĚƲ®»˘ Poll. Concern about the U.S. economy and personal financial futures is also prevalent, while partisan divides are more apparent on issues such as immigration, tariffs and President Donald Trump’s response to court rulings against his actions and policies.   Read More

A new paper, co-authored by Eric M. VanEpps, associate professor of marketing at 91ĚƲ®»˘ Business, shows that a lack of consumer confidence in forecasting ability, instead of pessimism, sways stock market predictions, often pushing estimates too low. In this study, the term consumers refers to ordinary people who are not professional investors or economists; consumer confidence refers to how confident they feel in their own ability to understand and predict the stock market.