Education Futures

What if artificial intelligence isn’t the real threat to higher education?In this episode of Education Futures, we speak with Michael Burgess, a sharp and uncompromising voice on the future of higher education, to unpack a provocative idea:Universities don’t have a technology problem, they have a strategy problem.Michael argues that AI isn’t breaking universities.It’s revealing what has been broken for a long time.Together, we explore:Why higher education’s operating model hasn’t fundamentally changed for centuriesHow AI is accelerating the exposure of slow, inefficient, and misaligned systemsWhy “AI transformation” is often the wrong framing, and why betterment matters moreWhat universities misunderstand about students, industry, and the marketplaceWhy entry-level work, credentialing, and degree length must be rethoughtHow innovation is more likely to come from outside universities than withinWhat the future of higher education could look like in a plural, AI-enabled worldMichael also explains why most institutions fall in love with shiny tools, layer them onto broken processes, and then wonder why nothing changes, and why real progress starts with courage, clarity, and a willingness to cannibalize parts of the existing model.

Are we really living through the worst moment in history, or are we actually in the best position ever to build a better future?In this episode of Education Futures, we welcome Beatrice Erkers, Existential Hope Program Manager at the Foresight Institute.Beatrice works at the intersection of technology, long-term thinking, and societal progress, helping people move beyond doom narratives to imagine desirable futures — and take responsibility for shaping them.Together, we explore:Why pessimism about the future is historically misguidedHow “existential hope” differs from blind optimismWhy agency matters more than prediction when thinking about the futureHow world-building and scenario planning can help rethink educationWhy education may be the most powerful lever for long-term changeHow AI could make learning more humane — not lessWhat skills and mindsets future education systems should prioritizeWhy plural, diverse futures matter more than one “perfect” visionBeatrice also shares inspiring examples — from AI tutoring models like Alpha School to progress-oriented movements — and explains why hope is inseparable from action.This episode is an invitation to stop asking “what will happen?”and start asking “what future do we want to build — and how do we begin now?”

What does school look like through the eyes of a 15-year-old who actually uses AI to learn, not just to finish homework faster?In this episode of Education Futures, Laurent & Svenia sit down with Hudson, a high school student from San Diego who is already doing computer science education research, and working with a UCSD mentor on learning science–informed approaches to teaching.Hudson shares a strikingly clear perspective on what’s broken in today’s education system, and what could be rebuilt in the age of AI.Rather than focusing on AI literacy, tools, or prompt engineering, he argues for something deeper: teaching students how to think.People & institutions mentioned:Art of Problem Solving for Math education - https://artofproblemsolving.com/Carnegie Mellon University – LearnLab - Kenneth Koedinger & John Stamper (intelligent tutoring systems) https://learnlab.org

Is learning how to code still relevant when AI can generate code for us?In this episode of Education Futures, we sit down with Dora Palfi, founder of imagi, to explore what computer science education should become in an AI-driven world — and what must not be lost along the way.Dora has a background in computer science and neuroscience and has spent years working at the intersection of education, technology, and equity. Her core conviction is clear: AI should not become a shortcut that removes understanding, agency, and critical thinking from learning.We discuss why coding still matters — not as a job guarantee, but as a way to understand how the world works — and why telling students they don’t need to understand technology anymore is not only wrong, but patronizing.Check out "hour of AI" a Loveable x OpenAI x imagi initiative: https://imagilabs.com/pages/hour-of-codeWe discussed the book "IF ANYONE BUILDS IT,EVERYONE DIES" - Eliezer Yudkowsky & Nate Soareshttps://ifanyonebuildsit.com/

In this special award-winning series for the Future of Life Institute's Keep the Future Human contest, host Svenia Busson sits down with teenagers from across Europe and the US.In this episode, host Svenia Busson sits down with three international students based in Paris and Barcelona: Emma (13), Jack (14), and Hector (16). Moving between metaphors of movies and video game controllers, they tackle a fear that isn't about Terminator robots, but about something much quieter: human atrophy.Together, they debate the "Wall-E Scenario"—a future where AI solves every problem so efficiently that humans forget how to walk, think, or care. They argue that our imperfections, our slowness, and our need to make an effort aren't bugs to be fixed by an algorithm—they are the very features that make life meaningful.In this episode, we discuss:The Wall-E Scenario: Jack’s fear that comfort will lead to cognitive laziness and the loss of critical thinking.The "Off" Button: Why retaining an "overriding capacity" is non-negotiable for the next generation.Profit vs. People: Hector’s call for AI that prioritizes equality over efficiency.The Beauty of Imperfection: Emma’s argument that a "human future" is one where we are allowed to make mistakes.

(EPISODE IN GERMAN - FOR THE ENGLISH SUBTITLES CHECK OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://youtu.be/tiLh9Jq1ApU)In dieser preisgekrönten Folge der Podcast-Serie "A youth dialogue on keeping the future human" spricht Gastgeberin Svenia Busson mit drei Schülern aus Berlin und Hamburg: Flor (13), Luca (15) und Sofia (15). Während sich die globale Debatte oft auf zukünftige Risiken konzentriert, leben diese Schüler bereits heute mit der Realität von KI im Klassenzimmer.Sie geben einen offenen Einblick, wie KI die Bildung schon jetzt verändert – von Lehrern, die mit Drohungen auf ChatGPT-Aufsätze reagieren, bis hin zur sehr realen Angst vor Deepfakes, die die Gesellschaft spalten. Sie argumentieren, dass Verbote keine Lösung sind; stattdessen fordern sie, dass Schulen kritisches Denken und KI-Kompetenz von Anfang an vermitteln.In dieser Episode diskutieren wir u.a:Ungleichheit und die "Superreichen": Flor (13) stellt eine brutale ethische Frage an die Entwickler: "Unterstützt es viele Menschen oder hilft es nur den Superreichen, noch reicher zu werden?" Dies ist eine direkte Kritik an der Konzentration wirtschaftlicher Macht, einem zentralen Thema in Aguirres Essay.Datensouveränität: Luca (15) äußert eine sehr klare Sorge, nicht über die Intelligenz der KI, sondern über die Privatsphäre.Das "Her"-Syndrom (Soziale Isolation): Flor und Luca betonen die emotionale Gefahr. Sie erkennen das Risiko, dass KI Freundschaften ersetzt, nicht nur Arbeit.KI als "Super-Tutor" (Positive Nutzung): Im Gegensatz zu der Vorstellung, dass Schüler KI nur zum Schummeln nutzen, erklärt Flor, dass sie personalisierte KI-Assistenten (die ihr Vater via Fobizz erstellt hat) nutzt, um Debatten zu üben oder ihre Aussprache zu korrigieren.

(EPISODE IN FRENCH - ENGLISH SUBTITLES AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/iR5IhYTjYA4)Dans cet épisode de la série primée "A youth dialogue on keeping the future human", Svenia Busson s'entretient avec trois élèves français : Alaïs (11 ans), Sarah-Léa (15 ans) et Arthur (16 ans). Alors que beaucoup craignent une IA dangereuse ou "méchante", ces jeunes redoutent quelque chose de plus subtil : qu'elle nous rende inutiles.Ensemble, ils débattent du "problème du plateau d'argent" — l'idée que si l'IA nous facilite trop la vie, nous perdons notre capacité à penser, à fournir des efforts et à grandir. Dans cet épisode, nous abordons :Le "Plateau d'Argent" : L'avertissement d'Arthur sur la commodité qui tue notre curiosité.La Valeur de l'Effort : Pourquoi Sarah-Léa pense que la difficulté est essentielle au bonheur humain.La Connexion Humaine : La définition d'Alaïs d'un "futur humain" : un monde où l'on se rencontre encore dans la vraie vie, pas juste derrière des écrans.

In this episode Svenia sits down with Hudson (15), Joseph (15), and Violet (17), high school students in San Diego and members of their high school’s AI Club.She decodes Anthony Aguirre’s "Keep the Future Human" essay and ask these high school students burning questions around AI. Moving far beyond surface-level tech talk, they tackle the hardest ethical questions facing Silicon Valley today.In this episode, we discuss:The "Bystander Effect": Violet’s powerful challenge to tech CEOs who claim they are "just following the market."Optimization vs. Agency: How the recommendation algorithms they grew up with have shaped—and potentially hijacked—their cognitive freedom.The "Danger Triangle": A technical debate on whether adding Autonomy to General Intelligence inevitably leads to loss of control.Optimism for "Tool AI": Why Hudson believes AI should remain an "exoskeleton for the mind" (like AlphaFold) rather than a replacement for human thought.Violet shared a podcast by David Fajgenbaum (on repurposing medicine) listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWIft9yiHAo

In this episode of Education Futures, Svenia & Laurent speak with Erin Mote, Co-Founder and Executive Director of InnovateEDU, about the urgent intersection of AI safety, youth online protection, and the future of learning systems. Erin, a leading technologist and policy voice — and a mother of two — explains why safety must come first in the EDSAFE AI Alliance framework and why protecting children means safeguarding not just their data, but their experience with AI systems.Erin breaks down the risks of biased predictive systems, engagement-optimized consumer chatbots, and AI companions — and shares emerging U.S. legislation, including a groundbreaking package of 19 federal bills focused on kids’ online safety.Together, they explore the coming disruption of the workforce: the disappearance of entry-level jobs, the difference between automation vs displacement, and what young people must learn now to thrive in an AI-shaped economy.Erin also outlines what a future-ready school must look like: human-centered, deeply relational, grounded in learning science, and designed to build judgment, discernment, dialogue, and metacognition — skills AI cannot replace.A powerful and urgent conversation for educators, policymakers, and parents navigating this arrival technology.

In this episode of Education Futures, Svenia sits down with Corey Layne Crouch, educator and Chief Program Officer of AI for Education, to explore what it really means to build AI literacy across school communities. Corey shares her journey from high-school English teacher to school leader, EdTech designer, and ultimately advocate for responsible, human-centered AI adoption.She unpacks her C-Framework for AI literacy — helping students, teachers, and parents understand how generative AI works, how to use it safely, ethically, and effectively, and why foundational knowledge matters more than quick prompting tips. Corey and Svenia discuss students’ growing fears that AI may “make them lazy,” the rising risks of AI companionship tools for adolescents, and why intentional, human-centered learning is more important than ever.Together, they imagine the school of 2035, explore the opportunities of generative AI to enhance relationships and creativity, and outline what education systems must do now to protect young people and empower them to thrive in an AI-saturated world.A hopeful and essential conversation about keeping learning deeply human.Links:AI for Education – https://www.aiforeducation.io/Women in AI & Education Community - https://www.aiforeducation.io/women-in-ai-edJonathan Haidt’s research on social media, adolescent mental health, and smartphone-driven developmental changes, his book  “The Anxious Generation” is worth a read: https://www.amazon.fr/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036Chicago Public Schools: AI Guidebook: https://www.cps.edu/strategic-initiatives/ai-guidebook/The Rhythm Project: Michelle Culver: https://www.therithmproject.org/