ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast

Educators are taking charge in integrating AI, no matter the policy constraints. A study reveals AI like GPT-4 often delivers better moral guidance than human ethicists. The hosts tackle the mental health toll of social media on youth and advocate for healthier tech interactions. They emphasize a proactive stance for teachers, highlighting resources like the Teach AI Toolkit. The conversation underscores the importance of ethical discussions while navigating the complex relationship between AI and education.

In this episode of ChatEDU (Dear AI, Slow the Heck Down), Matt and Liz discuss the disruptive and problematic consequences of large tech companies moving too fast in the AI space. They unpack various incidents, and the implications of rapid AI advancements on education. First in Our Intro Matt and Liz discuss the emergence of non-human AI models, including meerkats, whales, dogs, and elephants. They humorously explore the idea of translating animal noises into “language” and the challenges it poses, particularly with Liz's silent dog, Aloe. Then in the News: Voice Mode Updates - Matt provides an update on the much-anticipated ChatGPT 4.0 voice mode. Together, Matt and Liz poke fun at the delay, but also explore how this advanced voice mode might be used in schools.  OpenAI's Library - Liz talks about Sam Altman's focus on creating an old-timey library at OpenAI's headquarters, blending high-tech AI work with a Victorian academic feel. Liz goes on to explore the relevance of libraries in modern education and AI development. Beneath the Surface: Matt and Liz discuss the consequences of the "move fast and break things" ethos in the tech industry. They review several AI-related incidents, including, but not limited to:  ChatGPT's Gibberish Incident: A night of bizarre outputs from ChatGPT. Google's Gemini Image Issue: Controversial AI-generated images that sparked debates on diversity and historical accuracy. Scarlett Johansson Voice Scandal: The controversy around OpenAI's voice persona, Skye, and its unintended resemblance to Johansson's voice. Rock Eating and Glue on Pizza: Logical recommendations from Google’s AI search summaries.  Together, the hosts provide some guidance on how educators might navigate these disruptive AI episodes.  Short Stack Chat Back: Shakespeare-Style - ChatGPT + ElevenLabs provide a three-sentence summary of the consequences of AI companies moving too fast (in the style of the Bard…the real Bard not the Bard turned Gemini).  Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org

In this episode of ChatEDU (Teens on Gen AI: A New Study from Common Sense Media), Matt and Liz dive into a new report from Common Sense Media that explores how teens are using and perceiving generative AI. The episode provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on this topic, shedding light on both the excitement and concerns surrounding AI among young people. First in Our Intro Matt and Liz talk about interactive prompting and narcissism :). Check out www.skills21.org/ai  (Prompts > Counselor > Role-Playing a Challenging Work Situation)  Then in the News: Cara: An AI-Free Space for Artists - Matt introduces Cara, a social media portfolio app created by photographer Jenga Zhang. Cara aims to protect artists' rights by providing an AI-free environment where they can share their work without the risk of it being scraped by AI models. Tribeca Film Festival - The festival features five short films created using OpenAI's Sora, a text-to-video tool. This marks the first time Sora is showcased at a major arts festival, highlighting the potential of generative AI in filmmaking. Matt and Liz discuss how schools will need to address each artistic field individually when it comes to generative AI. Illuminate by Google - Liz discusses Illuminate.withgoogle.com, an experimental tool that transforms dense academic papers into accessible NPR-style discussions. This tool aims to make academic research more engaging and easier to understand, while addressing issues like hallucinations in AI-generated content. Short Stack Chat Back: Dumbledore-Style - ChatGPT + ElevenLabs provide a whimsical, yet insightful, three-sentence summary of the Common Sense Media report in the style of Dumbledore, capturing the essence of teens' perspectives on generative AI. Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Surrender - Professors Throw in the Towel on Writing?) Matt and Liz discuss the controversial notion of AI taking over writing tasks. The episode deep dive is informed by the work of two professors from Carnegie Mellon University who are saying the quiet part out loud, with an AI tool aimed at assisting students with the writing process. Fist in the news:  Mechanistic Interpretability - Matt explains the concept of mechanistic interpretability, likening it to an MRI for language models. This technique, championed by AI safety-focused company Anthropic, helps unpack the black box nature of AI models to understand how they generate their outputs and address issues like bias and hallucinations. AI Tutors in Education - Liz revisits the topic of AI tutors, emphasizing the benefits they bring to students (particularly in math and science). These AI tools can serve as accessible and affordable tutors, helping students understand complex problems step-by-step as a means to increase educational equity. Short Stack Chat Back - The episode concludes with an AI supported take on the Beneath the Surface topic.  Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org 

In this first “Short Stack” episode of ChatEDU (AI Hope or Hype - A K-12 Reality Check) Liz and Matt unpack an important New York Times opinion piece titled "Press Pause on the Silicon Valley Hype Machine” by Julia Angwin. They explore key assertions in the article including:  Overstated Achievements: AI's claimed capabilities versus real performance. Unreliable Performance: The effort required to correct AI output versus manual tasks. Limited Improvement Potential: Constraints on AI improvements due to data and energy consumption. Resource Allocation: The diversion of resources from practical innovations to AI developments. In each area, Matt and Liz discuss how these points resonate in the K-12 context, emphasizing the need for balanced AI literacy and thoughtful resource allocation. They end with their own priority list of K-12 AI in education challenges.  First, in the News -  Holographics and Wearables: Matt shares his excitement about the new Meta Ray-Ban glasses as well as lightweight AR/AI glasses being developed by Stanford researchers AI and Gender: Liz discusses the economic impacts of AI on women, highlighting bias in AI models and the underrepresentation of women in AI labs.  Short Stack Chat Back - The episode concludes with an AI supported take on the Beneath the Surface topic.  Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org

In this episode of ChatEDU (That’s a Wrap - Exploring the Fate of Custom AI Teacher Tools), hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday think through the implications of the ChatGPT 4o release, and what it may mean for custom AI teacher tools and the broader landscape AI + education landscape.  First, In the News:  Microsoft Work Trends Report Matt unpacks a new report from Microsoft highlighting the need for AI literacy in schools. AI and Solopreneurs Liz examines the rise of "solopreneurs," entrepreneurs using AI to operate alone, and draws connections to Capstone projects. NSFW Content and AI Matt and Liz discuss OpenAI's new “Model Spec” including the possibility of NSFW content in AI outputs down the line. Homework Assistance Apps Liz highlights the prevalence of AI homework assistance apps in the iOS App Store and the challenges they pose for teachers. Beneath the Surface Links GPT 4-o Math Problems GPT 4-o Rocky Interview GPT 4-o Real Time Translation Chat Back: Listener Question Matt and Liz address a listener's question about whether schools should appoint a primary AI lead.

Marc Watkins, an expert in literacy and AI, joins to discuss the overlooked risks AI poses to deep reading and analytical skills. The conversation highlights how U.S. attitudes towards AI may restrict our understanding of AI literacy for students. They delve into Google's new generative AI tool aimed at English language learners, and address the ethical implications of labor from developing nations in shaping AI outputs. The episode culminates in a discussion about generative AI's influence on trust in educational settings.

This episode of ChatEDU (Yes the Jobs - But First the Class of 2025) unpacks the significant impact of AI on the job market, emphasizing how to meet the immediate needs of next year’s seniors. But first in the news, hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday explore various facets of AI in education, including persistent biases in AI models, student preferences for AI-generated versus teacher feedback on writing, and the role of generative AI in the art and science of book writing. Additionally, they discuss S.A.R.A.H, a video avatar from the World Health Organization designed to provide reliable health information. The episode wraps up with listener questions about how not to increase student anxiety as they prepare for 2025 and beyond.  In the News: Segment 1: AI and Bias Highlight of a study from University College London showing bias in AI models. Discussion on efforts to mitigate biases in AI. Segment 2: Student Feedback on AI Insights from a field study on how students perceive AI-generated feedback compared to teacher feedback. Discussion on the importance of human elements in educational feedback. Segment 3: AI in Health Introduction of S.A.R.A.H, an AI tool from WHO for health guidance. Discussion on the reliability and limits of AI in providing health information. Segment 4: AI in Authorship Liz discusses her personal project on using AI to aid in writing her book.Exploration of different roles AI can play in the creative process of writing.

In this episode of ChatEDU (Micro Update Major Menace: Advertising in AI Requires K-12 Attention), Matt Mervis and Liz Radday kick off by covering the latest news including research on AI content detectors with some help from Abbott Elementary, as well as an AI-powered exhibit featuring WWII veterans. Liz reviews a major AI assessment announcement from PISA, while Matt explores new developments in holographic technology and how AI could change the way we interact with the digital world. Next, Matt and Liz go “Beneath the Surface” as they explore the potential negative impact of AI companies testing advertising in their chatbots. They analyze the underreported but enormously important story of how AI business models could affect students, families, communities and schools. The episode wraps by answering a listener question about students using generative AI for emotional support.  In the News AI Content Detectors: We discuss the effectiveness of AI content detectors with a particular focus on their limitations, as highlighted in a recent "Abbott Elementary" episode. Despite their popularity, these tools often produce false positives, particularly impacting ELL students. Learn more about these detectors' fallibility as reported by The Washington Post and The Guardian. Links:  Cheating Detection AI Discrimination Educators Juggling Generative AI Humanizing Machine Generated Content World War II Veterans Exhibit: Liz reviews an engaging AI-powered exhibit at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, where AI helps visitors interact with life-sized representations of veterans. This use of AI in educational settings offers a new method to engage with history. Links WW2 Museum - AI Veterans Survivors Holographics and New Interfaces: Discover the latest in holographic interfaces and how they could transform interactions with digital devices. From the potential use of AI in mundane tasks to its integration into everyday gadgets, we explore what's on the horizon for AI-enhanced interfaces. Links Scientists Create Color 3D Holographic Human AI Pin: Review Rabbit R1: Review I tried Nothing Ear with ChatGPT and I’m impressed — but also a little terrified Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses just got another useful feature for free PISA's New AI Assessment Announcement: A significant shift in educational assessment practices with PISA incorporating AI to evaluate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This segment explores how AI-driven assessments could redefine educational benchmarks globally. Links: AI May Be Coming for Standardized Testing Beneath the Surface AI's Business Models: A deep dive into the economic strategies of AI companies as they transition from heavy investment phases to profit-making models. We discuss the implications of subscription versus advertising models in AI, highlighting concerns about user engagement and privacy.  Links: Perplexity will try a form of ads on its AI search platform Google considers charging for AI-powered search in big change to business model Meta’s new AI assistant is rolling out  ChatBack Mental Health and AI: We tackle a listener's question about the use of AI for mental health support among teens. The pros and cons of AI as a tool for emotional support are discussed, emphasizing the importance of human connection and the potential risks of over-reliance on AI for psychological support. Mental health chatbots powered by artificial intelligence developed as a therapy support tool ChatGPT-4 outperforms human psychologists in test of social intelligence, study finds

Exploring AI guilt in education, using AI for music creation, AI applications in schools, creating custom AI bots in universities, understanding and managing guilt when using AI, and insights on AI's influence on education and personal experiences.