As educators convene for the EdAdvance Spring AI Conference, this episode is sponsored by Kiddom, the AI-powered curriculum platform helping teachers save time and improve outcomes with high-quality instructional materials and human in the loop tools.

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI for All: A National Plan to Teach America’s Youth), Matt and Liz open with a deep dive into lesson design bias, unpack a new wave of AI agents in higher ed, and explore the implications of a bold new executive order on AI literacy in U.S. schools.

Story 1 – Bias in the Bot: Lesson Plans That Miss the Mark A recent study finds that AI-generated lesson plans often reinforce outdated, teacher-centered models, relying heavily on worksheets with little room for student agency or collaboration. Matt and Liz look at why this happens and how better prompts (like those from Skills21’s own libraries) can help educators reclaim the power of these tools.

Story 2 – Agents in Admissions: AI Goes to CollegeAt ASU+GSV, Element451 demoed “agentic AI,” a tool designed to guide prospective students through visits, applications, and financial aid. But is higher ed ready for autonomous AI helpers? A recent test at Carnegie Mellon, where bots failed to run a simulated business, suggests we still have a long way to go.

Beneath the Surface – A Presidential Push for AI LiteracyOn April 23, the Trump administration signed an executive order promoting nationwide AI literacy across K–12. From dual enrollment pathways to a new White House task force, the plan is ambitious. Matt and Liz explore what it could mean for schools and how Skills21’s new student-facing literacy initiative fits right in.

Bright Byte – AI vs. Wildlife TraffickingThe EcoSolve initiative is using AI to monitor and flag illegal animal trade across six countries. It’s working and showing how generative AI can serve global environmental goals when used with purpose and precision.

Related Links

Study: Pedagogical Bias in AI-Powered Educational Tools

https://socialinnovationsjournal.com/index.php/sij/article/view/10004/8134 

Element451 Agentic AI Demo

https://element451.com/

Carnegie Mellon Agent Simulation – Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-agents-study-company-run-by-ai-disaster-replace-jobs-2025-4

Executive Order on AI Literacy – EdSurge

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2025-04-24-trump-executive-order-calls-for-artificial-intelligence-to-be-taught-in-schools

Skills21 AI Prompt Library

 https://www.skills21.org/prompts

TeachAI – National AI Literacy

Frameworkhttps://www.teachai.org/ailiteracy

EcoSolve Wildlife Monitoring – Global

Initiativehttps://www.acamstoday.org/eco-solve-using-ai-to-disrupt-global-wildlife-trafficking/

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Kiddom, helping educators bring powerful curriculum and responsible AI into the classroom. Download their AI & Assessment white paper at: https://go.kiddom.co/chatEDU

Ongoing support for ChatEDU is provided by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

Have a question or comment?

Email Matt and Liz at: [email protected] don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode of ChatEDU (Beyond the Bot – When a High Schooler Rewrites NASA’s Playbook), Matt and Liz explore AI’s growing role in schools, cities, and culture. From prompt politeness and energy costs to anime selfies and a Google AI giveaway, AI is everywhere. They wrap with a teen whose AI research is changing how we see space.

Story 1 – Please, Thank You, and Power Drain

Matt and Liz discuss whether courtesy helps or hurts, citing a Waseda study linking impolite prompts to more bias and less accuracy. They also spotlight SaveTheAI.ai, a satirical campaign urging energy conservation for AI as a funny but thoughtful nudge toward sustainability.

Story 2 – Google’s Higher Ed Land Grab

Google now gives U.S. students free access to Gemini Advanced (NotebookLM, Gemini Pro 1.5, and full Workspace tools_ through Spring 2026. Matt and Liz call it a strategic move to dominate student AI use. They ask: is this about access or dependency? With built-in study tools and AI analysis, schoolwork is shifting. As Matt says, it’s nonstop content but less reflection.

Story 3 – AI Cosplay Goes Viral

OpenAI’s growth came from anime, not upgrades. Ghibli-style selfies let users turn photos into Studio Ghibli characters via GPT-4. Matt and Liz explore what this says about creative AI use. They also touch on copyright law and how AI art is reshaping ideas of originality. Liz demos it live with fun results.

Story 4 – Your AI Image Library Is Here

ChatGPT’s new image library lets users save, organize, and edit visuals. It improves how students and teachers use AI-generated media in class. Liz shares how she used it for Skills21’s College and Career Accelerator, making visuals about kindness. It hints at a more collaborative AI future.

Story 5 – When Helpful Bots Hallucinate

Cursor, an AI coding tool, drew backlash when its support bot “Sam” invented a device policy. It was a hallucination. The company refunded users and now labels AI responses. Matt and Liz ask: are bots ready for schools? When AI slips, the fallout can be serious.

Beneath the Surface – A Teen’s AI Discovery Stuns NASA

Teen Mateo Paz used AI to find 1.5 million hidden space objects in NASA’s NEOWISE archive. With Caltech’s Davey Kirkpatrick, he built a model tracking brightness to classify stars and quasars. His solo paper in The Astronomical Journal shows the power of student-led science. This isn’t AI for homework, it’s discovery!

Bright Byte – AI for the Visually Impaired

Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University created a wearable for the blind using AI and haptics. It beats canes by detecting obstacles in real time. It’s a reminder that AI boosts mobility and not just productivity.

Related Links

• The Carbon Cost of Being Polite to AI

  https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/chatgpt-spends-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-on-people-playing-please-and-thank-you-but-sam-altman-says-its-worth-it
  

  Save the AI Satire Campaign

• https://savethe.ai/

  
  

  Google Student Gemini Giveaway

  https://blog.google/products/gemini/google-one-ai-premium-students-free/

  
  

  Studio Ghibli and AI Style Law

  https://siliconangle.com/2025/04/13/openai-doubles-users-800m-1b-thanks-ghibli-style-image-generation/

  
  

  Mateo Paz Research

  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/ad7fe6

  
  

  OpenAI Image Library Overview

  https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/openai-just-added-an-image-library-to-chatgpt-heres-why-its-a-game-changer

  
  

  AI for the Blind Navigation System

  https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01214-9

  
  Have a question or comment? Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]

Help Us Grow

Like what you hear? Rate and review ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform. Share with a friend, colleague, or educator curious about the future of AI in learning. And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok: @ChatEDUPodcast

This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

In this episode of ChatEDU (Dear AI – Why We’re All Talking to Robots in 2025), Matt reunites with Liz after her trip to Ireland to unpack a shift happening in real time— (em dash on purpose) AI is moving beyond utility and entering emotional, educational, and existential territory. From new research tools that rethink how we teach synthesis, to universities baking AI into their business programs, to Reddit users turning to bots for therapy—(2nd em dash) this episode dives into how and why we’re not just using AI, we’re talking to it. And be sure to check out the intro about Hyodols and the MUCH used em dash.

Story 1 – Deep Research, Reimagined

Google’s new Deep Research feature in Gemini transforms the AI from summarizer to synthesizer. Matt and Liz discuss how this impacts student learning, dissertation writing, and the future of teaching research in K–12 and higher ed. They also look at how equity comes into play when AI can scaffold complex thinking for every learner.

Story 2 – AI in the Wild at American University

American University’s School of Business launches an Institute for Applied AI, shifting from AI-avoidance to AI fluency. Students are using AI to design marketing campaigns, assess risk, and model financial statements— (em dash) no coding required. Their tool of choice? Perplexity Pro, now being piloted in higher ed as a full-stack platform.

Beneath the Surface – The Emotional Side of AI

A new Harvard Business Review analysis of Reddit and Quora threads shows that 2025’s top AI use cases aren’t just about speed—(em dash) they’re about support. Users are turning to AI for therapy, motivation, and life planning. Matt and Liz explore what this means for education, memory, privacy, and how we guide students through emotionally intelligent AI use.

Bright Byte – AI and the Climate

AI’s energy use is real—(em dash) but so is its potential to help. This week’s Bright Byte features insights from The Economist on how AI is reducing emissions, optimizing grids, forecasting renewable power, and identifying methane leaks. Thoughtful deployment could turn AI into an ally in climate resilience.

Related Links

Gemini Deep Research

https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/google-just-gave-gemini-a-major-research-upgrade-and-its-already-beating-the-competition

Harvard Business Review: "How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025"-

https://hbr.org/2025/04/how-people-are-really-using-gen-ai-in-2025

OpenAI’s Memory Update (ARS Technica)-

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/04/chatgpt-can-now-remember-and-reference-all-your-previous-chats/

Axios: American University’s AI Business Institute-

https://www.axios.com/2025/04/03/generative-ai-business-school-students

Hyodol: AI Care Companion for Seniors-

https://en.hyodol.com/

Skills21 AI Micro-Credential-

https://www.skills21.org/pip-platform

The tasks college students are using Claude AI for most, according to Anthropic-

https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-tasks-college-students-are-using-claude-ai-for-most-according-to-anthropic/

The Economist: How AI could help the climate-

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/10/how-ai-could-help-the-climate

Have a question or comment?

Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

Overview

In this episode of ChatEDU (Murder, She Prompted: High School English with AI Twists), Matt sits down with guest co-host Joanne Mumley to explore the unexpected and creative ways AI is reshaping the high school English classroom. With Liz off knitting in Ireland, Joanne steps in to share her powerful blend of innovation, curiosity, and care as both a teacher and department head in Connecticut.

In the News: Character AI and the Rise of AI Companionship Among Teens

Matt and Joanne discuss a recent Rithm Project article, Why I Am Talking to a TV Show Character About the Nature of Life, which sheds light on teen use of Character.AI. Despite Character.AI's soaring popularity—now ranked third among AI tools—questions about emotional dependency, mental health, and bot overreach abound. Joanne shares her own unnerving experience chatting with a Kafka bot and reflects on how students are aware of the ethical gray areas even if they don’t always speak openly about it. They also explore new research from Dartmouth on AI therapy bots like Therabot and reflect on whether AI can provide real emotional support or just well-intentioned mimicry.

Beneath the Surface: From College Policy Sleuthing to Literary RPGs—AI in the Classroom

Joanne walks us through her innovative, hands-on approach to student-facing AI in her high school English classes:

- She begins with a college policy investigation where seniors research how their prospective schools are handling AI—discovering everything from detailed repositories to a total lack of guidance.

- She dives into project-based learning with interactive museum exhibits inspired by The Nickel Boys, using SchoolAI to simulate feedback from a fictional museum director.

- She highlights her shift toward helping students build confidence in their own voices as a strategy to reduce misuse of AI. Through creative exercises like an AI-assisted Julius Caesar football drama and a Handmaid’s Tale-inspired murder mystery, she crafts immersive, tech-informed experiences that are still rooted in classroom relationships and authentic expression.

Throughout, Joanne emphasizes balance—tech when it helps, no-tech when it matters, and always human in the foreground.

Bright Byte: AI for Earthquake Recovery in Myanmar

In this week’s Bright Byte, Matt shares a compelling story about how Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab and Planet Labs used AI-customized satellite imagery to help first responders assess damage from a 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar. By identifying over 2,000 impacted buildings, the AI-powered effort helped relief agencies like the Red Cross prioritize aid—offering a concrete example of AI doing good at scale.

Related Links:

Why I Am Talking to a TV Show Character About the Nature of Life – Rhythm Project on Medium:

https://medium.com/@info_42369/why-am-i-talking-to-a-tv-show-character-about-the-nature-of-life-d91898da420c

MIT Tech Review on Therabot:

https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/28/1114001/the-first-trial-of-generative-ai-therapy-shows-it-might-help-with-depression/

Stanford’s AI Policy Hub:

https://ai.stanford.edu

The Anxious Generation (book referenced in discussion):

https://www.anxiousgeneration.com

MLA Guidance on Citing AI:

https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/

Skills21 PIP Curriculum:

https://skills21.org/pip

Have a question or comment? Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing.

Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

Overview:

In this episode of ChatEDU (Flipped Out: How AI Might Save the Flipped Classroom), Matt and Liz explore three views of AI intelligence, spotlight student-led projects using AI in real-world STEM challenges, and revisit the flipped classroom model through the lens of AI support. Plus, a new AI weather tool could make forecasting more accessible than ever.

In the News: Three Views on AI Intelligence

A recent meme study found AI consistently created humorous, shareable content—but lacked standout originality. Meanwhile, GPT-4.5 produced a metafictional short story about AI and grief with surprising emotional depth. In contrast, Anthropic’s Claude struggled to play Pokémon, repeatedly getting stuck and failing to learn from mistakes. Together, the stories highlight AI’s jagged abilities: poetic in one context, directionless in another.

AI in the Wild: Samsung’s Student Innovators

This year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition saw 60% of finalists use AI to solve real-world problems. Highlights include:

- Arkansas: AI-powered oral cancer screening for rural dental gaps

These students are building the skills—creativity, empathy, tech fluency—highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s future jobs report.

Beneath the Surface: Can AI Save the Flipped Classroom?

Student Megan Adelman argues the flipped classroom often leaves learners behind when they can’t engage with content on their own. Matt and Liz explore how AI might help:

- AI tutors like Cogniti can serve as just-in-time help before class

- Harvard research showed AI boosted engagement and performance

Bright Byte: Forecasting for All

Aardvark Weather, a new AI model from Cambridge and Microsoft, brings hyperlocal forecasts to any desktop computer—without the need for expensive supercomputers. It opens up accurate, fast forecasting for underserved areas and developing regions.

Our Episode Sponsor

This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

Links Referenced in This Episode

Meme Study via Ethan

Mollickhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/emollick_i-regret-to-announce-that-the-meme-turing-activity-7307199008630816769-uHdp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAAE6BUsBQZUD9qMfCOj_0jiGbY_HNE-ZgaU

ChatGPT 4.5 Metafiction Story – TechRadar

https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/chatgpt-just-wrote-the-most-beautiful-short-story-and-i-wonder-what-im-even-doing-here

Claude & Pokémon – Ars Technica

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/why-anthropics-claude-still-hasnt-beaten-pokemon/#:~:text=But%20despite%20recent%20advances%20in,at%20all%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Finalists – BusinessWire

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250318875587/en/Samsung-Names-10-National-Finalists-in-Solve-for-Tomorrow-STEM-Competition-for-Community-Changing-Ideas-with-AI-3D-Printing-IoT-Robotics

Harvard’s Generative AI in Student Projects

https://creativecomputing.gse.harvard.edu/genai/GenAI_StudentProjects_Dec2024.pdf

Aardvark Weather – The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/20/ai-aardvark-weather-prediction-forecasting-artificial-intelligence#:~:text=A%20single%20researcher%20with%20a,computing%20power%20than%20conventional%20systems.

Have a question or comment?

Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]. Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.

Overview:

In this episode of ChatEDU ("Spring Tool Time with Abbe Waldron"), Matt and Liz welcome back one of their most popular guests: Abbe Waldron, a professional learning specialist at EdAdvance. Abbe shares her spring picks for the most effective AI tools in K–12 education. From lesson planning to curriculum development, she offers real-world insights into how teachers and students can meaningfully integrate AI.

In the News: UK Higher Ed Stress Test

Matt and Liz unpack a recent UK survey on generative AI in higher education:

• 92% of full-time university students report using AI.

• 88% use it specifically for assessments.

• 51% say it saves time; 50% say it improves work quality.

  Students are split: some say they’d work harder if AI graded them, others say they’d work less.

• 
  

  They explore the idea of “curriculum stress testing,” where institutions evaluate whether assessments can be easily completed using AI. This connects to the need for “durable assessments”—tasks that require more than what AI can quickly generate.

  
  

  
  

  Beneath the Surface: Tool Time with Abbe Waldron

Abbe returns with an updated toolkit of AI tools she’s using herself—and sharing with educators across the region:

NotebookLM

A go-to for curriculum development. Abbe uses it to write learning targets, connect units, and organize plans. Features like mind maps, podcast summaries, and clickable citations make it especially teacher-friendly—but it can be scaffolded for students too.

Diffit’s “Books” Feature

Now includes a wide range of popular student texts like 1984, Tuck Everlasting, and Diary of Anne Frank. Teachers can create differentiated resources, adjust reading levels, and align materials to standards. A built-in Google Form allows users to request additional titles.

Perlego

A professional learning platform with over a million academic and instructional texts. Its research assistant tool pulls together synthesized responses, highlights relevant books, and links directly to full texts. Great for educators working on curriculum or independent study.

Goblin Tools

A free suite of tools designed with neurodivergent users in mind, but helpful for all. Includes a tone adjuster for emails, a time estimator, and a “magic to-do list” that breaks down tasks step by step. Abbe recommends it for both students and teachers, particularly around communication and organization.

Bright Bytes: AI Detects Cancer with 99% Accuracy

Researchers at Charles Darwin University have developed an AI model that can detect endometrial cancer with 99.26% accuracy by analyzing microscopic images. It also shows high performance in detecting colorectal, breast, and oral cancers. This advancement could dramatically improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes in the near future.

Our Episode Sponsor

National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing –

https://www.nextgenmfg.org

Related Links:

• HEPI UK Student Survey –

  https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/02/26/student-generative-ai-survey-2025/  

• 
  

  NotebookLM –

  https://notebooklm.google/ 

• 
  

  Diffit –

  https://web.diffit.me/ 

• 
  

  Perlego –

  https://www.perlego.com/

• 
  

  Goblin Tools –

  https://goblin.tools/

• 
  

  The Scale of AI Pirated Books - https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/libgen-meta-openai/682093/ 

• 
  

  Search the LibGen Library -

  https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/search-libgen-data-set/682094/  

Cancer Detection Bright Bite (Charles Darwin University) -

https://www.cdu.edu.au/news/ai-diagnoses-major-cancer-near-perfect-accuracy 

Have a question or comment?

Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform!

ChatEDU Episode 50: AI Cut My Work Week by Seven Hours

Overview

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Cut My Work Week by Seven Hours), Matt and Liz celebrate the show’s 50th episode with a look at AI’s growing impact on education. They explore China’s national push for AI education, Google’s latest personalization updates for Gemini, and key findings from the 2025 Carnegie Education Report. Plus, they highlight an exciting AI-driven breakthrough in wildfire detection.

In the News

China’s AI Education Initiative – China is making AI education a national priority, mandating AI lessons for students and dramatically increasing university enrollment in AI-related fields. What does this mean for the global AI race?

Google Gets Personal – Google’s Gemini is rolling out new memory features and personalized AI assistance, integrating with search history and other Google apps. How will this shape the way educators and students interact with AI?

Beneath the Surface

Carnegie Education Report 2025 – A deep dive into the latest data on AI in education. Are teachers using AI to their advantage, or is skepticism still high? What trends are shaping the classroom of the future?

Bright Bytes

AI and Wildfire Detection – A powerful new AI-driven system is helping detect wildfires earlier than ever, potentially saving lives and reducing damage. What role does machine learning play in disaster prevention?

Announcements

Interested in AI and Education? The current cohort for ChatEDU’s AI in K-12 Education Micro-Credential is full, but you can join the waitlist to be notified when summer enrollment opens. Sign up at skills21.org/ai/micro

Our Episode Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing – supporting STEM education and workforce readiness for the AI-powered future. Learn more at https://www.nextgenmfg.org.

Links Referenced in This Episode

“Beijing to roll out AI lessons for primary, secondary students”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/beijing-to-roll-out-ai-lessons-for-primary-secondary-students/ar-AA1AO5Od?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1

“China's top universities expand enrollment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas”

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-top-universities-expand-enrolment-beef-up-capabilities-ai-strategic-areas-2025-03-10/

“​​Gemini gets personal, with tailored help from your Google apps”

https://blog.google/products/gemini/gemini-personalization/

“AI Search Has A Citation Problem”

https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/we-compared-eight-ai-search-engines-theyre-all-bad-at-citing-news.php

Carnegie Learning AI in Education Report 2025

https://discover.carnegielearning.com/ai-in-education

“The first FireSat satellite has launched to help detect smaller wildfires earlier.”

https://blog.google/feed/firesat-first-satellite-launch/

Overview:

In this episode of ChatEDU (Turnitin's Big 180 – From AI Detector to AI Platform), Matt and Liz explore Turnitin’s surprising shift from an AI detection tool to an AI-assisted writing platform and what this means for educators and students.

In the News:

- The Humanities Strike Back: Notebook LM’s editorial director makes the case for why humanities degrees are more relevant than ever in the AI era.

- AI Writing Takes Over: A new study from Stanford and Emory reveals just how much AI-generated text is creeping into consumer complaints, corporate press releases, job postings, and even UN statements.

- AI in the Wild Debut: A new segment highlighting creative uses of AI in education, starting with a PhD student who trained ChatGPT to simulate her dissertation committee.

Beneath the Surface:

- Turnitin’s Pivot to AI Writing Assistance: The academic integrity giant shifts gears with a new tool, Turnitin Clarity, offering an AI-powered writing environment where students can work transparently with AI while teachers monitor their usage. Will this build trust in classrooms or create new challenges?

Bright Byte:

OpenAI’s $50 Million Investment in AI Research: OpenAI launches a research consortium with 15 top universities, funding AI projects in healthcare, education, and digital humanities.

Join us as we discuss what this all means for the future of AI in education!

Episode Sponsor: This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more about their AI and workforce development initiatives at https://www.nextgenmfg.org.

Links Referenced in This Episode:

Forbes News Blast Prompt:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2025/03/05/the-chatgpt-prompt-that-reveals-your-hidden-talent-in-seconds/ 

Business Insider article on humanities degrees and AI:

https://www.businessinsider.com/notebooklm-editorial-director-google-labs-said-humanities-skills-valuable-ai-2025-2 

Stanford & Emory Study on AI Writing:

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2502.09747

Nature article on ChatGPT for students:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00621-2#:~:text=Unlike%20the%20'early%20days'%20of,professors%20and%20even%20personal%20trainers.

OpenAI’s Next Gen AI Research Consortium: 

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2025/03/05/openai-will-invest-50-million-in-a-new-university-research-consortium/

  
  

  
  

  Announcements: The Spring AI in Education Micro-credential is now full. Just the list to get notified about our summer cohort at https://www.skills21.org/ai/micro

  
  

  
  

  Get in Touch: Email us at [email protected] Follow ChatEDU on TikTok for more AI in education insights!

Overview:

In this episode of ChatEDU (ChatGPT Goes Nationwide – Will Other Countries Follow Estonia's Lead?), Matt and Liz explore the first national adoption of ChatGPT-EDU in Estonia's schools and what it could mean for AI in education worldwide. Before they get started, Matt and Liz explore some ink blots and have a great convo with Maya and Miles, a new research AI voice model well worth checking out. See link below in the show notes.

In the News:

- Vibe Coding: What happens when AI takes on the heavy lifting of coding, allowing users to guide development through ideas and descriptions? Matt and Liz discuss the latest trend in AI-assisted development, including Liz’s first-hand experience building an app for her rhinestone design process.

- Switching Costs in AI Tools: As ChatGPT surpasses 400 million users, competition between AI models intensifies. With tools like Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and more in the mix, educators face tough decisions. Matt and Liz examine the hidden costs of switching platforms and what schools should consider before committing to a single AI tool.

Beneath the Surface:

- Estonia’s AI-Powered Education System: Estonia has become the first country to fully integrate ChatGPT-EDU into its schools, starting with 10th and 11th graders in 2025. Matt and Liz break down the initiative, its goals for personalized tutoring and AI literacy, and whether other countries might follow suit.

- The Future of AI in the Classroom: While Estonia bets on AI-driven education, Matt and Liz question whether the focus should be on personalized tutoring or AI-powered problem-solving in real-world contexts. Could AI’s biggest impact be in project-based learning rather than one-on-one tutoring?

Bright Bytes:

- Decoding Animal Emotions: A University of Copenhagen AI model can analyze animal vocalizations with 89.49% accuracy, offering potential breakthroughs in animal welfare and conservation.

- AI-Powered ASL Learning: NVIDIA’s new AI-driven ASL platform helps bridge communication gaps by providing real-time feedback on sign language learning.

Announcements:

Join the next cohort of ChatEDU's AI in K-12 Education Micro-Credential starting April 14th. Visit skills21.org/ai/micro for details and group discounts.

Our Episode Sponsor:

National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing - https://www.nextgenmfg.org 

Related Links:

Estonia’s AI Education Initiative:

https://openai.com/index/estonia-schools-and-chatgpt/

Vibe Coding and AI Development:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/technology/personaltech/vibecoding-ai-software-programming.html + https://medium.com/@niall.mcnulty/vibe-coding-b79a6d3f0caa

AI Switching Costs in Education:

https://www.marketplace.org/2025/02/20/chatgpt-now-has-400-million-weekly-users-and-a-lot-of-competition/

Decoding Animal Emotions with AI:

https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/groundbreaking-ai-can-accurately-decode-emotions-from-multiple-animal-species/

AI-Powered ASL Learning by NVIDIA:

https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/ai-sign-language/

Sesame AI Voice Model:

https://www.sesame.com/research/crossing_the_uncanny_valley_of_voice#demo

Rorschach :

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250224-what-happens-when-you-give-an-ai-a-rorschach-inkblot-test

Get In Touch:

Email Matt and Liz at [email protected] and let them know your thoughts on this episode. Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.

Overview

In this episode of ChatEDU (Career Dreaming with Liz – Google's New Gen AI Career Counselor), Matt and Liz explore how AI is shaping career exploration, with a deep dive into Google’s new experimental Gen AI Career Counselor.

In the News

AI Literacy Resource Update from Stanford – A look at the newly updated CRAFT AI literacy resource collection, which provides educators with classroom-ready AI teaching tools.

OpenAI Research on ChatGPT in College – A new study reveals how students are using ChatGPT for coursework and whether professors can detect AI-generated submissions.

Beneath the Surface

AI in Career Exploration –

Google’s Gen AI Career Counselor raises questions about AI’s role in guiding career paths. Matt and Liz discuss its potential impact and what it means for students making big decisions about their futures.

Bright Bytes

A new segment highlighting positive contributions of AI, inspired by Steve Hartman’s On the Road series.

Co-Scientist -

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469072-can-googles-new-research-assistant-ai-give-scientists-superpowers/

Mistral’s Saba -

https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/17/mistral-releases-regional-model-focused-on-arabic-language-and-culture/

Our Episode Sponsor - National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing

https://www.nextgenmfg.org/

Links Referenced in This Episode

Stanford’s CRAFT AI Literacy Resources –

https://craft.stanford.edu/resources/

OpenAI Study on AI in College –

https://openai.com/global-affairs/college-students-and-chatgpt/

Google’s Gen AI Career Counselor –

https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/19/googles-career-dreamer-uses-ai-to-help-you-explore-job-possibilities/

Skills21 PIP -

https://www.skills21.org/pip-platform

Got questions or comments? Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]. Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform!