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Sam Whitaker is the Senior Director of Social Impact and Institutional Development at StudyFetch, an all-encompassing AI learning platform for students. His primary focuses are bringing advanced AI education to underserved communities around the world and developing safe and responsible K-12 AI solutions.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How StudyFetch is redefining AI as a learning tool, not a shortcut.
2. The story behind Sparky, the AI tutor designed for real engagement.
3. Why AI literacy is becoming essential for K-12 students.
4. What a million student interactions reveal about how AI is used for learning.
5. How StudyFetch is expanding access to AI education from North Philadelphia to Uganda.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:03:08] What makes StudyFetch different from generic chatbots
[00:06:47] Sam on why AI literacy should be taught like reading and math
[00:09:09] Why AI must be implemented despite hesitations: “If we wait, we lose.”
[00:12:32] Explaining the difference between using AI to learn and learning AI itself
[00:15:29] A third-grade use case for prompting skills with Sparky the tutor
[00:23:46] The tension between growth and staying true to learning principles
[00:32:55] The big reveal: findings from over a million StudyFetch conversations
[00:38:52] Why students prefer step-by-step help in math and STEM subjects
[00:42:34] On making AI a true equalizer in education, not a divider

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.