In this episode of the Tech Nexus podcast, host Scott Fisher discusses the evolution of education technology from panic and hype to a focus on utility. He highlights significant developments such as Google's integration with Khan Academy, the right to repair movement in hardware, and innovations in educational software. The conversation also touches on the competitive landscape of Management Information Systems (MIS) and concludes with a spotlight on lesser-known but impactful educational tools.

Read the newsletter article .

Takeaways

• The education technology landscape has shifted from panic to utility.

• Google's integration with Khan Academy represents a significant change in AI use in education.

• AI tools are now designed to enhance critical thinking rather than just provide answers.

• The right to repair movement is gaining traction in educational hardware.

• Schools are now prioritizing repairable devices to save costs.

• Innovative software like Magma Math is changing how students engage with math problems.

• The MIS market is becoming competitive, with a shift towards cloud solutions.

• Hidden gems in EdTech are providing valuable resources for teachers and students.

• Professional development for teachers is evolving to be more engaging and relevant.

• The focus is now on solving existing problems in education technology rather than creating new ones.

The podcast episode discusses the global policy shift towards banning smartphones in classrooms, driven by a UNESCO report. It highlights the benefits of such bans, like reduced bullying and improved grades, but also critiques it as an admission of failure by adults to enforce boundaries. Scott Fisher argues for teaching digital self-regulation instead, comparing it to learning to drive a car. The episode concludes with a call to read more on the topic and manage devices responsibly.

Takeaways

• Banning smartphones reduces bullying and improves grades.
• Smartphone bans are seen as an admission of failure by adults.
• Teaching digital self-regulation is crucial for students.
• Smartphones should be managed like learning to drive a car.
• The UNESCO report has influenced global smartphone policies.
• Adults struggle with digital self-regulation themselves.
• Smartphones are powerful educational tools, not just distractions.
• Creating a vacuum by banning phones doesn't teach self-control.
• Digital driver's ed is proposed as a solution for phone management.
• The episode encourages responsible device management.

Keywords: smartphone ban, UNESCO report, digital self-regulation, classroom policy, education technology

The "Chatbot" era is officially over.

In this deep dive, Scott Fisher breaks down the most significant enterprise shift of the year: Google Cloud's launch of **Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience (CX)** at NRF 2026. This isn't just an update; it's a fundamental pivot from "Generative AI" to **"Agentic Commerce."**

**What's Inside:**

* **Reasoning Over Retrieval:** We explain how the Gemini 3 Pro architecture replaces old-school Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with "Agentic Reasoning," allowing the AI to execute multi-step, complex tasks (like checking inventory, verifying warranties, and processing a sale—all within a single conversation).

* **The Unified Journey:** See how Gemini CX unifies sales, service, and loyalty management into a single, intelligent layer, eliminating the "fragmented journey" where customers constantly repeat themselves.

* **Real-World Impact:** We analyze case studies from large-scale adopters like **Papa Johns** and **Lowe’s**, showing how they are using these agents to create new revenue streams and handle high-friction tasks.

* **The Operator's Guide:** A simple 5-step guide to deploying this new agentic layer in your business, including how to use the new "Agent Studio" to auto-generate workflows without needing a team of prompt engineers.

The question is no longer "Will AI talk to my customers?" but "What will my AI be allowed to buy for them?" Read the full analysis in today’s TechNexus Briefing.

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#EnterpriseAI #GoogleCloud #Gemini #CX #CustomerExperience #TechNexus

In this latest edition of the TechNexus Podcast Scott Fisher explores the challenges of trust in AI, particularly in enterprise settings. He introduces Google's Notebook LM, a tool designed to bridge the trust gap by providing grounded AI solutions that cite sources and maintain data privacy. The conversation covers practical applications for various business sizes and offers a step-by-step guide for getting started with Notebook LM.

Takeaways

• The trust gap is a significant barrier to AI adoption.
• Notebook LM offers a closed loop system for AI queries.
• Citations in AI responses enhance trust and reliability.
• Enterprise users can maintain data privacy with Notebook LM.
• Notebook LM can streamline processes like RFP responses and due diligence.
• Small businesses can use Notebook LM for efficient onboarding.
• Solopreneurs can repurpose content using audio overviews.
• Getting started with Notebook LM involves curating specific documents.
• The transition from black box to glass box AI is underway.
• Notebook LM represents a major step towards trustworthy AI solutions.

Stop wasting time on mundane tasks. Tune in to see how reasoning-based AI agents are transforming the modern workflow.

In this episode Scott Fisher announces the launch of the TechNexus podcast and Newsletter, and how in each episode will break down the tech that’s shaping our world. This isn't just a news show; it’s about the nexus where innovation meets reality.