Welcome back to AI for Everyone. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on a real, in-progress project from my AP Literature class. We're moving beyond theoretical discussions and essays to build interactive, conversational AI avatars.

My students are using OpenAI's Custom GPTs to create and interpret the robot characters from Nnedi Okorafor's fantastic novel, The Death of the Author. This isn't just a classroom exercise; it's a dynamic way to analyze literature, and the students will be presenting their finished avatars at the Great World Texts conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

In this episode, Brett Hanson announces a new, more personal direction for the "AI for Everyone" podcast. Moving away from a rigid structure, the show will now focus on the real-world, everyday applications of AI in Brett's life as a teacher, writer, and consultant. He outlines five core priorities that will shape future episodes: student AI readiness, client workflow solutions, AI-powered writing projects, personal professional organization, and creative AI endeavors.

The second half of the episode provides a practical, step-by-step tutorial on creating a "Custom Gem" in Google Gemini. Using his own writing project as an example, Brett demonstrates how to build a personalized AI assistant designed to help edit, revise, and brainstorm ideas for a new mystery series. This deep-dive offers listeners a tangible workflow for creating their own specialized AI tools to enhance efficiency and creativity.

In this episode, Brett sits down with veteran educator and virtual school leader Jamey Hill to deconstruct the process of building an AI implementation plan from scratch. Jamey shares her journey from being a Montessori-inspired teacher who believed "the hand is the tool that feeds the brain" to becoming a leader in shaping how schools can responsibly integrate artificial intelligence.

The conversation moves from the initial overwhelming phase of "tool collecting" to the creation of a thoughtful, three-part framework: Define, Evaluate, and Integrate. Jamey provides a practical blueprint for other school leaders and teachers, emphasizing the need to start with core human values, create flexible "guidances" instead of rigid policies, and focus on AI literacy as an equity issue. This is a must-listen for any educator feeling stuck or unsure of how to begin their school's AI journey.

This week's "AI in Focus" episode dives into the essential, human skill of "AI Taste." Brett defines taste as the critical ability to judge and discern quality in an age of infinite AI generation. He breaks down the five levels of AI proficiency—from the skeptical Sunbather to the architectural Diver—and provides a practical roadmap for listeners to cultivate their own AI taste, turning AI from a simple tool into a true co-creation partner.

In this AI in Focus episode, Brett Hanson dives deep into Mustafa Suleyman's essential book, "The Coming Wave," exploring the immense power and unprecedented risks of AI and synthetic biology. The discussion covers why this technological wave is different from all others, the "great dilemma" we face in navigating it, and the urgent need for a new mindset of containment and responsible stewardship. The episode concludes with an analysis of Suleyman's recent article on the psychological dangers of "Seemingly Conscious AI."

In this "AI in Education" episode, Brett sits down with Benita Gordon, a dynamic educator, entrepreneur, and founder of the Micro Learn Hub and Global Education Concierge. Benita shares her journey from a traditional classroom teacher to a leader in the microschool movement. The conversation explores the concept of the "AI-Powered Classroom," focusing on how AI can be used not to replace teachers, but to enhance their work by personalizing learning, differentiating instruction, and managing administrative tasks. Benita provides concrete examples of how tools like Khanmigo and custom AI assistants can foster student engagement and build both academic skills and personal confidence.

In this month's AI in Business episode, Brett is joined by co-host Andrew Kleidon, Marketing Manager at Quantum Technologies, to discuss how to reclaim your time through AI-powered productivity and workflow automation. They explore the latest business news, from the rise of Small Language Models (SLMs) to the critical learning gap causing large-scale AI projects to fail, and break down how everyday users, entrepreneurs, and small businesses can leverage tools like Zapier, Claude, and personalized chatbots to conquer administrative tasks, overcome creative blocks, and focus on strategic growth.

This week on AI for Everyone, we're tackling one of the most complex and urgent questions in the digital age: who owns what you create with AI? This "AI in Action" episode dives deep into the legal and ethical maze of AI ownership, exploring why the simple act of writing a prompt doesn't make you a legal author. We break down the landmark court cases shaping the future of creativity and examine the high-stakes legal war over the copyrighted data used to train AI models.

In this episode, host Brett Hanson provides a thorough comparison of the two leading AI platforms for the everyday user: OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Framed as a guide to developing your own AI "taste," the discussion breaks down how each platform performs on common tasks like creative writing, research, and image generation, helping listeners decide which tool best fits their needs. It also introduces the "AI is like water" metaphor to help users identify their level of engagement—from a "Beachcomber" doing simple tasks to a "Snorkeler" connecting various tools. Finally, the conversation shifts to the critical, often hidden social and ethical costs of AI, covering the significant environmental impact, the crucial differences between "opt-in" and "opt-out" user privacy models, and the "ghost work" that underpins AI development. Listeners will leave with specific recommendations and a clearer understanding of how to choose their own AI "operating system" responsibly.

In this episode, Brett Hanson sits down with Dylan Zaleski, an insightful voice on the intersection of AI and education. They explore the critical importance of embedding AI literacy into the K-12 curriculum to prepare students for a future workforce shaped by artificial intelligence. Dylan shares his personal "aha" moment with AI, sparking a conversation about the technology's potential to both widen and bridge opportunity gaps. The discussion covers practical applications of tools like NotebookLM for learning, the ethical considerations of AI in schools, and the need for students to develop uniquely human skills to complement AI's capabilities. This episode is a must-listen for educators, parents, and anyone interested in the future of learning and work in the age of AI.