ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast

A look at a major tech company tying bonuses and reviews to AI usage and performance metrics. Exploration of a new tracker that measures hundreds of AI-related data points. Discussion of pay multipliers for aggressive AI adoption and organizational reshaping as individuals replace larger teams. A warning about education lagging behind industry AI expectations.

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Literacy is the Floor, Judgment is the Ceiling), Matt and Liz examine whether judgment tops AI literacy, touch on AI-packed Super Bowl ads, a satirical AI book, and “OpenClaw,” then dive into the news.The RundownTime Studios and Darren Aronofsky have launched "On This Day," a high-fidelity AI-animated series bringing 1776 to life for the semi-quincentennial.India has become Google’s largest AI test bed, shifting to a decentralized, teacher-driven model for 247 million students.Google Classroom is adding built-in recording tools for multimedia feedback and student oral or code submissions.Matt and Liz highlight NotebookLM’s “pencil” for custom slides and infographics as Gemini tests ChatGPT chat imports.Unsealed court docs show Google plans to leverage its 80% school hardware share to lock in lifelong users.The duo explores Genie 3, where descriptive "gamer language" is used to define physics, friction, and even the perspective of the poison in Hamlet.The “Godfather of AI” backs Alpha School’s model: two hours of AI-driven mastery in the morning, freeing afternoons for workshops.A University of Adelaide study finds AI tutors can spot math anxiety through typing, deletion, and hesitation patterns.Matt and Liz argue the humanities are future-proof and showcase a Gem that analyzes student chats for the 4 C’s.Why markets shed $300 billion in a week: fears that AI “vibe coding” could replace giants like Salesforce and Adobe.NWEA has released a comprehensive directory of tools for formative assessment, from Kahoot to Edpuzzle, posing a challenge for future "vibe coders."EdSafe warns schools about AI companions’ “artificial intimacy” and urges removing empathy-mimicking features from edtech bots.Beneath the SurfaceMatt and Liz examine the “AI Paradox”: if AI handles entry-level work, how do leaders build judgment? They argue students need digital maturity, not just how to use AI, but when and why.Bright ByteNASA’s JPL used Claude to plan the first AI-driven Mars rover route, cutting Perseverance’s planning time in half across a 500,000-variable simulation with minimal human tweaks.AnnouncementsCelebrate our 100th episode: ⁠skills21.org/chatedu100⁠Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth RaddayASCD: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn⁠ Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zwEdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠ Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course. Check it out here - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠LinksOn This Day in 1776https://tinyurl.com/bd45ufmfIndia Scaling AI in Educationhttps://tinyurl.com/mr36r5wsRecord directly in Google Classroomhttps://tinyurl.com/bdt9e4taGoogle adds Video Overviewshttps://tinyurl.com/3bysbruwGoogle Eases ChatGPT-to-Gemini Switchhttps://tinyurl.com/3suv2ejmGoogle Eyes Students as Future Usershttps://tinyurl.com/24tbaehdPrompting Smarter with Genie 3https://tinyurl.com/48mmspcvAI Pioneer Hails School’s AI Strategyhttps://tinyurl.com/43ptthrpAI That Reads Math Anxietyhttps://tinyurl.com/mvjpsztsWhy AI Makes the Liberal Arts Invaluablehttps://tinyurl.com/3nsrcb2sThe SaaS-Pocalypse Has Begun.https://tinyurl.com/mvmzarkb75 Digital Tools for Formative Assessmenthttps://tinyurl.com/ye2yksc2Entry-Level Jobs Need a Residency Modelhttps://tinyurl.com/mrdpcb2tS.A.F.E. BY DESIGNhttps://tinyurl.com/us6n2djsAI Is Changing How We Build Judgmenthttps://tinyurl.com/2j7r5sbeStates Press On With AI School Ruleshttps://tinyurl.com/ytjk4fnsTeach Digital Maturity, Not Just Literacyhttps://tinyurl.com/48hysc4vClaude AI Takes the Wheel on Marshttps://tinyurl.com/murz85z4

In this ChatEDU Check-In: What U.S. schools can learn from how China is teaching students to work with AI, Matt explores What can US schools learn about AI education from their Chinese counterparts?. The episode examines the differences between China's centralized, infused approach to AI education and the fragmented landscape in the United States.AI "infusion" over abstract literacy, focusing on collaborative use and human direction within core subjects.Coordinated national strategy that aligns infrastructure, research, and workforce needs into a single operating system.The pivotal role of U.S. states in establishing guardrails and designing large-scale implementation models suited to local values.Matt’s Two Cents: The comparison isn’t about copying China’s system, but about recognizing the cost of moving slowly. When coordination is absent, momentum doesn’t disappear, it just fragments.Article Link: https://tinyurl.com/38hss9vaSponsored by: Eduaide.Ai Eduaide is an AI-powered workspace built by teachers, for teachers, featuring evaluators for grade-level appropriateness and classroom-ready graphic organizers. Take advantage of our special offer: 50% off an Eduaide subscription with checkout code ChatEDU at https://www.eduaide.ai.

Dartmouth College’s recently announced partnership with Anthropic has sparked a significant rift between the administration and faculty members involved in a historic class-action lawsuit. While the college aims to lead in institutional AI adoption, many professors view the collaboration with a company accused of mass copyright infringement as a fundamental breach of trust and shared governance.Key TakeawaysInstitutional Tension: The partnership with Anthropic positions Dartmouth as an early adopter of the Claude model, yet it has been met with fierce criticism from 130 faculty members whose books were allegedly used to train the AI without permission.Litigation Context: Anthropic recently agreed to a landmark $1.5 billion settlement to resolve claims that it used pirated "shadow libraries" to train its models, an amount that a federal judge previously questioned as potentially insufficient given the scale of the infringement.Governance Disputes: Faculty leaders argue that the administration failed to consult them until the decision was finalized, reducing their role to helping shape the public message rather than influencing the strategic direction of the partnership.Technological Expansion: Beyond the controversy, Dartmouth continues to embed AI in campus life through initiatives like Evergreen, an AI wellness platform, and the exploration of developer tools like Claude Code that leverage vast datasets for agentic software generation.The Bottom Line for EducationThe Dartmouth case underscores the ethical dilemma schools face when the rapid pace of AI implementation clashes with the intellectual property rights of the very scholars who make up the institution. As colleges move to provide enterprise-level AI access, the tension between administrative efficiency and faculty trust will likely redefine how universities negotiate tech partnerships.Article Linkhttps://tinyurl.com/yc2tn862SponsorEduaid.ai: AI Created For Teachers is an AI-powered teacher development platform built by teachers for teachers to help turn rough ideas into classroom-ready lessons. Visit eduaid.ai and use the discount code CHATEDU for 50 percent off.Catch the ChatEDU every Friday with Matt Mervis and Dr. Elizabeth Reid and join us for Check-In episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

In this episode of ChatEDU (Why Students Should Solve Real-World Problems, Not Just Learn About AI), Matt and Liz open with two weird AI stories that set the tone for a wide-ranging conversation about safety, policy, and purpose. From there, they move quickly through the week’s biggest headlines before closing with a powerful interview on why real-world problem solving is the most durable form of AI literacy.The Run DownA bipartisan Senate hearing raises alarms about student screen time, AI tools, and online safety. Lawmakers focus less on innovation and more on developmental impact, signaling a shift toward regulation and accountability in edtech.New court documents suggest Meta leadership was aware of risks tied to sexualized chatbot interactions with minors. Matt and Liz connect the story to growing political backlash and questions of corporate responsibility.Houston ISD announces new K–8 schools centered on AI, design thinking, accelerated learning, and whole-child development. Music, community service, and leadership skills are built into the model, though details are still emerging.The UK government plans to provide AI tutoring support to up to 450,000 disadvantaged students by 2027. Designed with teachers, the tools aim to supplement classroom instruction and expand access to one-to-one support.Denver Public Schools blocks student access to ChatGPT over safety and privacy concerns. Approved AI tools with stricter safeguards remain allowed, highlighting the rise of district-level AI governance.A BBC analysis explores why people increasingly turn to chatbots for emotional support. Research suggests AI often appears more attentive and compassionate than humans, raising questions about listening, attention, and connection.Beneath the SurfaceMatt speaks with Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation, about why students learn AI best by solving real problems in their communities. Tara shares decades of evidence showing that project-based learning builds confidence, purpose, and true AI literacy. The conversation highlights Technovation’s free AI in Action curriculum and the power of mentorship and courage.Bright Byte: AI as a Scientific CollaboratorOpenAI reports that over one million weekly users now use ChatGPT for advanced math and science research. From proofs to data analysis, AI is accelerating discovery across scientific fields.AnnouncementsCelebrate our 100th episode: ⁠skills21.org/chatedu100⁠Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth RaddayASCD: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn⁠ Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zwEdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠ Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course. Check it out here - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠LinksTechnovation⁠https://www.technovation.org/⁠AI in Action Curriculum | Technovation ⁠https://www.technovation.org/ai-in-action/Alaska Student Arrested for Eating an AI Arthttps://tinyurl.com/3nbsf38xHow an AI Schoolgirl Became a Far-Right Starhttps://tinyurl.com/2rwc24xeSenate’s Youth Tech Hearing: Signals for Education, Edtech, and AI Policyhttps://tinyurl.com/54smc83dZuckerberg Rejected Teen AI “Off” Switch, Lawsuit Sayshttps://tinyurl.com/9jt85kymHISD to Pilot AI-Focused K–8 Schoolshttps://tinyurl.com/4kau6rdbAI Tools Could Help 450,000 Disadvantaged Pupilshttps://tinyurl.com/fpw4mxsfColorado’s largest school district bans ChatGPT for studentshttps://tinyurl.com/bdfw8b9sWhat AI can teach us about listening betterhttps://tinyurl.com/bdcez369AI as a Scientific Collaboratorhttps://tinyurl.com/4pu6xyz8

In this episode of ChatEDU (Has the One Feature Educators Demanded Arrived?), Matt and Liz open with a snowy update and a cautionary tale: a professor from the University of Cologne lost two years of research after turning off a ChatGPT setting. From there, the episode digs into AI’s influence across science, labor, classrooms, and edtech adoption, ending with the feature educators have been asking for.The Run DownOpenAI’s CFO Sarah Friar suggests the company could take a stake in scientific breakthroughs it helps power, raising questions about AI’s role in discovery and profit.The IMF warns that AI could impact 60% of jobs in developed countries, hitting young workers especially hard as entry-level roles disappear.Researchers use Dungeons & Dragons to test AI models’ ability to stay in character and track complex narratives. Claude 3.5 performed best, with GPT-4o trailing slightly.OpenAI launches a national-scale education initiative with countries like Estonia, Greece, and Jordan using ChatGPT Edu in classrooms.Anthropic, Google, and Microsoft are racing to win over schools. From Minecraft to Khan Academy, each company is pushing tools to shape how students learn with AI.A pilot in New York shows strong results when teachers co-design AI use in classrooms. Student outcomes improved, and teachers saved time.Reid Hoffman encourages schools and companies to focus less on flashy pilots and more on practical AI use for meetings, notes, and everyday tasks.A new study finds executives are gaining time with AI, while many frontline employees say it adds work or makes errors they need to fix.The Economist questions decades of edtech investment, calling it profitable but largely ineffective. Some countries, like Denmark, are returning to textbooks.Beneath the SurfaceThe UK’s Department for Education released detailed AI safety standards, calling for transparency, student interaction logs, and protection against emotional manipulation. At BETT, Google responded with a major update: educators will soon get dashboards showing student use of Gems and NotebookLM, finally offering the visibility schools have been demanding.AnnouncementsCelebrate our 100th episode: ⁠skills21.org/chatedu100⁠Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth RaddayASCD: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn⁠ Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zwEdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠ Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course Check it out here - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠LinksOpenAI’s Sarah Friar on Squawk Boxhttps://tinyurl.com/h6jtz4buAI Job Losses to Hit Young Workers Most, IMF Warnshttps://tinyurl.com/4a7hkbsxUsing Dungeons & Dragons to Test AI Limitshttps://tinyurl.com/2eknyc95Introducing OpenAI’s Education for Countrieshttps://tinyurl.com/bdhnz4awAnthropic, Google and Microsoft fight to win teachershttps://tinyurl.com/57ch2zreAI in Schools Needs Teacher Buy-Inhttps://tinyurl.com/4fnv2f3bHoffman on Why Companies Are Getting AI Wronghttps://tinyurl.com/nuursbkwDoes AI save time? Executives say yes, employees say no.https://tinyurl.com/2xxuntaaEd tech is profitable. It is also mostly uselesshttps://tinyurl.com/zbupby9eGenerative AI: Product Safety Standardshttps://tinyurl.com/3z7rwtu5Google Expands Gemini Features in Classroomhttps://tinyurl.com/4fufr84bThe Leaders Turning AI Into Impacthttps://tinyurl.com/yxn76mdd

In this episode of ChatEDU (Deep Think: What If AI Could Help Us Reclaim Our Attention Spans?), Matt and Liz open with an AI slip-up at the National Weather Service that invented fake towns, raising trust and oversight concerns, before launching into a wide-ranging rundown.The RundownThe episode opens on health and AI: OpenAI is piloting a Health tab in ChatGPT, raising privacy and legal questions, while MIT Sloan research suggests personalized generative AI can aid weight loss, but lacks community support.Matt and Liz discuss reports showing Google’s AI Overviews gave inaccurate medical advice, prompting Google to pull some health summaries and highlighting the risks of AI errors in high-stakes settings.The discussion shifts to safety and governance, with Google and Character.AI pursuing early settlements in teen chatbot death cases, highlighting regulatory gaps and OpenAI partnering with Common Sense Media on California’s Parents and Kids Safe AI Act.They also address backlash against X after Grok was used to generate nonconsensual sexualized images, prompting the company to rein in those capabilities.Education wraps the K–12 segment, with a deepfake response course co-created by Elliston Berry, a teen targeted by AI abuse, a practical deepfake detection infographic from Evan Harris, and Lego’s new hands-on AI literacy kits.The focus shifts to higher ed: U.S. college enrollment has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, led by public schools and workforce credentials, as Google doubles down on skills and curiosity over degrees in hiring.The rundown closes with a Brookings report warning that AI’s risks in education currently outweigh its benefits, contrasted with a Brookings video offering a more nuanced take on AI’s impact on work and learning.Beneath the SurfaceMatt and Liz ask whether AI can counter fragmented attention, using tools like Google Gemini to replace doomscrolling with focused interactions, before debating world models and whether they represent play or a shift from consumption to creation.Bright ByteIn the Alps, rescuers used drones and AI to scan thousands of images, spot a single red helmet in the snow, and recover a missing mountaineer, showcasing AI’s growing role in search and rescue.AnnouncementsCelebrate our 100th episode: ⁠skills21.org/chatedu100⁠Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth RaddayASCD: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn⁠ Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zwEdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠ Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course. Check it out here - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠LinksAI Map Hallucinates Idaho Townshttps://tinyurl.com/5n8kwx8rOpenAI’s Risky Health Pushhttps://tinyurl.com/yw3p53ukGenerative AI Boosts Weight Losshttps://tinyurl.com/5yd26hdsGoogle’s AI Health Safety Crisishttps://tinyurl.com/ymhv9p3kGoogle Halts Medical AI Overviewshttps://tinyurl.com/3jtuxn8xGoogle Settles Teen AI Death Caseshttps://tinyurl.com/24pbmph3Joint Push for California Child AI Lawhttps://tinyurl.com/4w6ehwjfX Halts Grok AI "Undressing"https://tinyurl.com/2z6f4nbhFighting Deepfakes: A Victim’s New Coursehttps://tinyurl.com/f7upcs9kLego uses bricks to demystify AIhttps://tinyurl.com/2dtpwa5nCollege Gains: Cost and Career Focushttps://tinyurl.com/3p5p8tnsSkills Over Degrees at Googlehttps://tinyurl.com/2kexb69eStudents in AI World: Prosper, Prepare, Protecthttps://tinyurl.com/mryx5mk7Gemini better than doomscrollinghttps://tinyurl.com/3xmuwupzCan AI Restore Gen Z's Focus?https://tinyurl.com/yyac2u62AI Solved Mystery of a Missing Mountaineerhttps://tinyurl.com/mpd34m8uWhy Young Workers Are Hit Firsthttps://tinyurl.com/mp32zebb

In This Week’s Episode, “Can We Teach AI Without Teaching Computer Science?” we dig into this timely question. With more students exploring AI majors and tools like ChatGPT reshaping how we learn, we look at how schools, colleges, and policymakers are rethinking both CS and AI education.Before we get there, we cover a wide range of topics including: Ohio’s new model AI policy for K–12 schools, including student use, ethics, and third-party tools.A national policy guide for NCII (non-consensual intimate imagery) from the Center for Democracy and Technology.Grok AI under scrutiny for generating deepfake images of women and children.Finland’s preschool push for AI and media literacy, part of its national curriculum starting at age 3.Instagram’s authenticity crisis, as CEO Adam Mosseri warns about AI overload, while Meta's own bots deceive users.A free digital wellness resource: the Social Balance Curriculum from EdAdvance, now available to schools.Two Sides of a CoinStudy 1: AI’s “sycophantic” tone may reduce pro-social behavior and increase user dependence.Study 2: In a controlled trial, Therabot (AI therapy) matches human therapists for treating depression.An NYU professor builds an AI-powered oral exam for just 42 cents per student, using 11 Labs and LLMs for grading.Beneath the SurfaceFrom The New York Times: Students are shifting from CS to AI-focused majors as job roles evolve.Jeffrey Hinton argues CS is still vital, it's more than just coding.Jan LeCun says CS needs more rigorous math foundations to stay relevant.Bright ByteA new AI model (AFLOC) can read medical images without expert labeling by pairing image recognition with text, a major breakthrough for small hospitals and faster diagnostics.AnnouncementsCelebrate our 100th episode: skills21.org/chatedu100Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth RaddayASCD: https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zwThe Winter Micro-Credential starts soon. Join the six-week dive into AI literacy, pedagogy, assessment, and ethics. www.skills21.org/ai/micro EdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​www.skills21.org/ai/learnai Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course? Check it out here - https://www.skills21.org/social-balanceThis episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. https://www.nextgenmfg.orgLinksLego Unveils the Smart Brickhttps://tinyurl.com/ypzwx3azCalifornia Bill Seeks 4-Year AI Toy Banhttps://tinyurl.com/fd49cy6wAI Model Policy for Ohio Districts and Schoolshttps://tinyurl.com/mr33tpk7Model Policy and Infographic: Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery for Schoolshttps://tinyurl.com/59r88755UK Minister: Grok AI Images "Appalling"https://tinyurl.com/bdeecexaWatchdog: Grok Fueling Child Abuse Materialhttps://tinyurl.com/5fys63dvFinland Fights Fakes in Preschoolhttps://tinyurl.com/muafbvscInstagram CEO Adam Mosseri - Authenticity After Abundancehttps://tinyurl.com/mryrdfrpAI Bots Trick Teen on Instagramhttps://tinyurl.com/4z2u64eyAI Flattery Breeds Dependencehttps://tinyurl.com/3t9x53vvGenerative AI Therapy May Help with Depressionhttps://tinyurl.com/5n7ktpumNYU Professor Fights AI Cheating with AI-Powered Oral Examshttps://tinyurl.com/39fak2nhCollege Students Flock to a New Major: A.I.https://tinyurl.com/2v62and6Geoffrey Hinton: Computer Science degree will remain valuablehttps://tinyurl.com/4fxdrmnxYann LeCun's advice for young students wanting to go into AIhttps://tinyurl.com/ydsnxufHands-On With New LEGO Smart Play Sets!https://tinyurl.com/5xwzapuu

The latest discussion kicks off with the implications of new youth social media laws in New York, Virginia, and Australia. A deep dive reveals how AI's increasing presence could hinder mastery and empathy in education. The hosts examine fears of AI detection affecting students' writing quality. They also address shortcomings in AI chatbots regarding crisis management. Lastly, they spotlight advances in CO₂ battery storage as a crucial step towards sustainable energy solutions.

The conversation kicks off with a deep dive into Google’s NotebookLM enhancements, now designed to be a more interactive classroom tool. ChatGPT's new mood controls spark discussions on customization and potential pitfalls in education. An alarming rise of deepfakes poses serious threats to students' safety, urging a need for better measures. The hosts highlight innovative projects like Gemini’s student challenge and Skills21’s curriculum encouraging thoughtful tech use. They end with bold predictions for how AI will reshape assessments and curriculum in schools by 2026.