Designing Schools Future Focus | The AI Divide Nobody Sees Coming | Week of March 9, 2026
In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores a growing divide in the AI era—one that goes beyond access or basic use of technology. Drawing from new research reports and a personal story of learning to use AI tools beyond the chat interface, she introduces the idea of an “agentic divide,” where the real gap lies in who understands what’s possible with AI and who doesn’t. The conversation challenges educators, parents, and policymakers to move beyond bans and toward preparing young people with the mindset, vocabulary, and agency needed to thrive alongside AI.
Timestamps
00:00 – The Moment of Fear in Front of a Terminal
- Dr. Quidwai shares a personal story about staring at a blank terminal window for two months, revealing the emotional barrier many people feel when confronting new AI technologies.
03:00 – What the Latest Research Says About Teens and AI
- Insights from Pew Research show that more than half of teens are already using AI chatbots for schoolwork, often without guidance from adults.
07:00 – Families Are Split on AI in Education
- Findings from Common Sense Media reveal a growing divide between parents and students, with young people seeing AI as innovative while many parents view it as unethical in schoolwork.
11:00 – AI and the Changing Job Market
- An Anthropic report highlights how AI is reshaping the labor market, especially impacting entry-level jobs while increasing productivity among experienced professionals.
18:00 – The “Agentic Divide” and Why It Matters
- Dr. Quidwai introduces a new framework for understanding the AI gap—not just access or usage, but awareness of what AI can actually enable.
Resources Mentioned
- Pew Research Center — How Teens Use and View AI
- Common Sense Media — The Dawn of the AI Era: Teens, Parents, and the Adoption of Generative AI at Home and School
- Anthropic — Labor Market Impacts of AI: A New Measure and Early Evidence
- New York Times — Coding After Coders: The End of Computer Programming as We Know It
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