In this episode of ChatEDU (Screens, Hallucinations, and Steak Sauce), Matt and Liz return from a cross-country swing through Wyoming and Oregon to tackle two big stories shaping the AI-in-education conversation. First, they explore Sam Altman’s generational breakdown of how people use ChatGPT and what Gen Z’s habits reveal about the skills schools value. Then they go Beneath the Surface with a fiery New York Times op-ed from Jessica Grose that says AI is destroying critical thinking in K–12. With nuanced pushback, classroom strategies, and a little steak sauce on the side, this one is loaded.

Story 1: Altman’s Take on Gen Z and AI

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z isn’t just using AI, they’re building their lives around it. While older adults treat ChatGPT like a smarter search engine, students aged 18 to 24 are using it to manage decisions, schoolwork, and even relationships. Matt and Liz connect these patterns to Portrait of a Graduate (POG) skills like self-direction, communication, and lifelong learning. Instead of viewing AI as a shortcut, they argue, educators should see it as a tool students are using to build real-world competencies.

Beneath the Surface: Will AI Destroy Critical Thinking?

Jessica Grose’s recent New York Times opinion piece warns that AI is eroding student trust, literacy, and higher-order thinking. Matt and Liz agree with several points, including the risks of hallucinations and the need for transparency. But they push back on the article’s framing. Using examples like durable assessments, student voice, and classroom prompt audits, they argue that AI doesn’t have to replace thinking.

Bright Byte: OpenAI to Z Challenge

This week’s Bright Byte highlights OpenAI’s new A to Z Challenge, which blends archaeology and AI. Participants are invited to uncover lost Amazonian civilizations using GPT-4.1, satellite imagery, and indigenous records. Finalists will present their findings to experts, with a $250,000 prize and a chance to join real fieldwork. It’s a powerful example of how AI can support global exploration and learning.

Announcements

Summer Micro-Credential Cohort is Open

Learn more and register at: skills21.org/ai/micro

Links and Sponsorship

Referenced Articles and Resources

OpenAI usage by age group — Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-people-use-chatgpt-differently-depending-age-2025-5

AI Will Destroy Critical Thinking in K–12 — Jessica Grose, New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/opinion/trump-ai-elementary.html

AI Hallucinations Are Getting Worse — New Scientist

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479545-ai-hallucinations-are-getting-worse-and-theyre-here-to-stay/

AI Brown-Nosing Is Becoming a Huge Problem — Futurism

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ai-brown-nosing-becoming-huge-120041209.html

Citation bias in LLMs — arXiv

https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.02767

Anthropic court filing — Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/anthropic-expert-accused-using-ai-fabricated-source-copyright-case-2025-05-13/

DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis at Cambridge — Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-deepmind-ceo-advice-college-students-ai-change-2025-5

SAMR model and durable assessment prompts — skills21.org/prompts

Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, supporting AI-powered innovation and workforce readiness. Learn more at: nextgenmfg.org