Is AI going to transform education—or compound the gaps we already have?

On this episode of AmpED to 11, we sit down with Aaron Cuny, co-founder of AI for Equity and former school leader, who's working at the front lines of this very question. From his 18 years inside classrooms and school systems to founding a nonprofit helping districts navigate AI with vision and ethics, Aaron brings grounded urgency to a conversation many are still only tiptoeing around.

What’s at stake? Everything from how we train our teachers and select edtech tools, to how we redefine curriculum, equity, and leadership in the age of acceleration. Aaron doesn’t just talk trends—he builds roadmaps. He shares how AI for Equity is helping C-suite education leaders tackle both tactical realities and strategy, and why sustained relationships (not one-off AI 101 workshops) are the key. You'll hear stories from districts like DREAM Charter and Ednovate—one that went all in early, the other that quietly built a culture of innovation from the inside out.

And maybe most provocatively: Aaron argues that without intentional leadership, AI might not close the opportunity gap but widen it. Cue the skeptics? He hears you—and offers practical, human-centered change management strategies for leaders navigating resistant staff.

What you’ll learn:

• Bold leadership starts with ethical clarity—not buzzwords or hype.
• Why tactical know-how is mission critical for AI strategy.
•  How top districts are piloting AI with purpose and accountability.
• The real investment gap: Not tools, but capacity building.
• Change management is 3x more important than any AI tech stack.
• Why Aaron is done with the word “transform”… and what he’s replacing it with.

With hosts Brett Roer and Rebecca Bultsma guiding the conversation, this episode is both a compass and a call to action.

Tune in, subscribe, and share if you’re ready to turn up the volume on what’s possible in education.