aiEDU Studios

Are you worried your kids might let AI do their thinking for them?  On this episode, Alex and Dr. Aliza dig into the questions parents ask most and share a practical roadmap for raising curious, confident, and discerning kids who can use AI without losing their edge. Whether it's developing everyday habits to build critical thinking or setting clear boundaries for schoolwork, we show how to h...

Are you worried about preparing your kids for jobs that don’t exist yet?  In this episode, we dig into the changes that AI is bringing to work and school. First up, materials scientist Ashley Kaiser reveals how AI is powering “self-driving labs” to offload repetitive tasks, which gives her more time for creative planning and scientific analysis.  Next, Google’s Ben Gomes explains why the next era...

Let's be honest: Trying to make assignments “AI-proof” is like trying to write a “calculator-proof” math problem.  With that in mind, we explore how to design AI-ready assessments that reward genuine understanding and insight when answers are cheap and instant. Alex and Dr. Aliza unpack a college course that embraces AI rather than hides from it. Tulane University associate professor Nick Mat...

Pressing an AI button won’t write a novel that anyone wants to read.  On this episode, we look at using AI for writing – not as a shortcut, but as a thinking partner that helps you move from fuzzy concepts to sharp ideas without losing your voice.  Alongside author Amit Gupta and Google’s VP of Learning, Maureen Heymans , we map the line between helpful brainstorming and harmful outsourcing. Ultim...

What if technology made classrooms feel more human, not less? On this episode of Raising Kids in the Age of AI, we dive into real stories from the front lines of education to show how AI can help teachers fulfill diverse learning needs, increase engagement, and bring back joy to school so it doesn't turn into a screen-filled dystopia. Alex and Dr. Aliza sit down with New York City special ed...

Let’s strip away the hype and make AI understandable, useful, and human . Google Research VP Maya Kulycky explains why the human brain remains unmatched (And why that’s good news!) and offers practical guidance for using AI as a collaborator, not a crutch. Google DeepMind COO Lila Ibrahim takes us inside different projects that expand what’s possible with AI in anthropology ( Project Aeneas ) and...

aiEDU Studios has launched a separate podcast entitled Raising Kids in the Age of AI , created in collaboration with Google! Co-hosts Alex Kotran and Dr. Aliza Pressman will explore how AI is shaping the future of parenting and learning in conversations with parents, students, and leaders in education and technology. Meet Isabell, a 13-year-old entrepreneur who is using AI to enhance (Not replace!...

What does it mean for students to be 'AI ready?' In this "in-house" episode, aiEDU CEO Alex Kotran sits down with Chief Program Officer Emma Doggett Neergaard and Director of Learning Khushali Narechania to explore the organization's new AI Readiness Framework . The aiEDU Learning Team unpacks how their framework provides a roadmap for K-12 educators to prepare students fo...

What happens when you combine Hollywood-level storytelling with the intimacy of audio? Oz Woloshyn and Mangesh Hattikudur, co-founders of Kaleidoscope, have created some of the most compelling podcasts in the medium by focusing on one simple truth: people love feeling smart, especially when learning feels like an adventure. Kaleidoscope's award-winning shows transport listeners from the Amazo...

Michelle Shomo Pierce invites us into her Charlotte, North Carolina classroom where computer science education transcends coding to become a vehicle for teaching essential life skills.  What makes Michelle's approach unique is her unlikely journey to becoming a computer science teacher. With a background in biology and elementary education, she stepped into the role without any formal CS trai...

Have you ever talked to an architect of the digital revolution that shaped our world? We spoke with early-stage Apple alum Dan'l Lewin, who took us on a remarkable journey from the dawn of personal computing to our AI-powered present while offering rare insights as someone who helped bring the first computers into America's classrooms. Growing up in upstate New York with a second-grade t...

What if we stopped trying to 'fix' students and instead fixed our educational system? As CEO of CAST, (the Center for Applied Special Technology) Lindsay Jones helps schools utilize Universal Design for Learning to create inclusive education systems for all students.  Starting with the premise that "people aren't broken," Lindsay guides us through CAST's journey from...

What good is 'innovation in edtech' if millions of students can't access it? Dr. Keisha King takes us on her journey from classroom teacher to education technology leader at T-Mobile, showing how authentic educator perspectives can transform tech initiatives in schools. With a background in virtual schooling and curriculum development, Dr. King brings a uniquely grounded approach to...

When civics teacher Zach Kennelly first encountered ChatGPT and DALL-E, he immediately recognized their transformative potential for education. As one of the first AI Trailblazers in aiEDU's fellowship program, Zach has reimagined what's possible in the classroom by positioning AI not as a replacement for human thinking, but as a collaborative tool that empowers students to tackle challe...

What if the very traits that society labels as a "disability" are actually your greatest strengths? In this week's episode of aiEDU Studios, John Marble (author of Neurodiversity for Dummies and Autism for Dummies ) takes us on a remarkable journey from his early days making White House beer runs to becoming a respected neurodiversity advocate and thought leader.  John's story...

"When you can write out your own ideas, explain your thinking, build an argument and use evidence to support it – that's an incredibly valuable skill for kids." In this week's episode, we spoke with Peter Gault of Quill.org about the evolving relationship between AI and education. Peter shares how Quill transitioned from basic natural language processing (NLP) to sophisticated...

What makes us uniquely human in the age of AI? According to Isabelle Hau, (Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning) it's our ability to form meaningful relationships — a feat she calls "relational intelligence." Our conversation with Isabelle explores how education systems need to evolve past measuring success through grades and test scores, and instead toward fo...

What if everything you've been told about AI and the future of work is wrong?   In this episode with Bloomberg Beta head Roy Bahat, we dive deep into why employment predictions fail, how AI is reshaping career paths, and why becoming "the CIO of your own life" might be the most valuable skill for navigating our technological future.    Roy has been investing in AI since 2014 and tea...

What does the future of work and education look like when AI can accomplish in a few months what electricity took 80 years to achieve? Chike Aguh (senior advisor at Harvard University's Project on Workforce ) takes us through technological revolutions of the past and present, highlighting what makes generative AI fundamentally different – namely, its unprecedented speed of deployment and the...

AI is shifting the ground beneath our feet. In this week's episode with Emmy-winning TV producer Gavin Purcell, we explore how AI differs fundamentally from previous tech trends like crypto, blockchain, and the metaverse. Drawing from his unique perspective in traditional Hollywood and cutting-edge tech, Gavin explains how reasoning models represent a quantum leap beyond simple prompt enginee...

What happens when we invest in entrepreneurs who've been overlooked by traditional venture capital? Shawna Young, CEO of Camelback Ventures, has dedicated her career to answering that question by giving transformative support to founders from underrepresented communities.  In our wide-ranging conversation, Shawna chronicles her journey from AP science teacher in North Carolina to leader of an...

What makes AI different from previous waves of education technology?  Greg Toppo, education reporter at The 74, joins us to unpack how AI is reshaping education from the classroom to district leadership. Drawing from his extensive journalism career and time as a teacher, Greg brings a measured perspective to the AI revolution that's sweeping through schools right now.  The conversation dives...

How can K-12 education adapt to AI?   In this thought-provoking conversation, we sit down with aiEDU's Director of Learning (and former high school math teacher) Khushali Narechania to explore how AI can be leveraged to benefit students in the classroom.   Khushali shares how educators are navigating the tensions between embracing new technology and preserving authentic learning experiences....

What if we reimagined philanthropy not as a slow, bureaucratic process but as a dynamic engine for innovation? Kumar Garg, founder of Renaissance Philanthropy and former White House advisor, offers a compelling vision for how philanthropic capital can flow more effectively toward solving the world's biggest challenges.   Drawing from eight years of experience in the Obama White House Office o...

What do K-12 students need to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by AI? Zarek Drozda, executive director of Data Science 4 Everyone (DS4E), believes data literacy must become as fundamental as reading literacy – and he's building a movement to make it happen. Inspired by a viral Freakonomics podcast that questioned outdated math curricula, DS4E has grown from operating in one state to 29 s...