AIcademia

In the season finale of the AI Academia Podcast, I dive into ChatGPT-4o's new image-generation powers. From GANs to diffusion models and LoRAs, I trace the evolution of AI art—and then showcase how OpenAI’s tool delivers photorealism, crisp text, and creative flexibility. I wrap it with practical ways educators can use it to boost lessons, design eye-catching visuals, and empower student creators....

In this episode, I’ll be sharing a conversation I had with Andrew Weeks, a colleague in the music department at the school where I teach. Andy and I chat about a recent cross-departmental project we ran exploring the potential of AI-generated music and its likely impact on the music industry as a whole. It was a warm and thought-provoking conversation and I’m excited to share it with you. 00:00 In...

In this episode, I’ll be looking at the evolving dynamics of human-AI interaction, particularly in educational and workplace settings. I’ll demonstrate ‘Sesame’, a cutting-edge chatbot model which has taken the AI world by storm, and then we’ll explore how it is inevitable that our AI systems will come to look and sound more like us to the point where it might be hard to tell the difference betwee...

In this episode I interview with Bailey Tuddennam, an alumnus of the school where I teach. Bailey, who is now working for a startup focused on designing autonomous kitchen modules for lunar and Mars habitats, discusses his cautious exploration of AI. We delve into the importance of integrating AI literacy into educational curricula, Bailey's journey since leaving Norwich School, his experiences at...

In this episode I’ll be comparing two of the most recent fronteir LLMS to come to market - Grok 3 and Claude 3.7. I’ll explore the origins and philosophies behind both models, their functionality and I’ll be assessing their suitability for educators. And if you want to know what any of this has to do with the Sith and Jedi - then tune in! Link to SimTheory: https://simtheory.ai/ 00:00 Introduction...

In this episode, I explore the essay’s evolution as an assessment tool and its potential transformation with the advent of AI. Inspired by a LinkedIn post from Paul Matthews and an article on why students cheat by Richard Culatta, I’ll outline a practical 4 step process to help teachers adapt the essay writing process so it remains relevant in the 21st century. Link to Richard Culatta’s article: h...

In this episode of AI Academia, I tackle the nine biggest misconceptions teachers have about artificial intelligence. I’ve made this recording with two types of listeners in mind - teachers who are on the fence and are holding back from exploring AI because they have reservations, and early adopters who might benefit from better understanding the reluctance expressed by some of their colleagues to...

In this episode I investigate the recent release of ‘deep research’ AI models and evaluate their suitability as tools for educators. I comment on the perceived pros and cons of these ‘agentic multi-step research tools’, summarise the outcome of spending a week trawling various articles and posts about the comparions between the models and describe three examples of reports I have created using Per...

In this episode of AI Academia, I explore how artificial intelligence can be used to foster critical thinking in education by employing a modified version of the Socratic method. I discuss the importance of questioning in learning, drawing on resources such as 'Essential Questions' by Jay Mat Teague and Grant Wiggins, and 'Caitlin's Cookbook' by Steve Bertles. I share insights on how AI can be lev...

In this week’s episode, I’m exploring the recent release of the Chinese large language model, DeepSeek R1. It’s an accessible overview of what makes this model so impressive, and why it has cost one US company 600 billion dollars in a single day! Along the way, I’ll be jargon-busting so you’ll have a better understanding of terms like ‘inference time compute’, and ‘open source models’. 00:00 Intro...

In this episode of the AI Academia podcast, I ask whether current AI systems can create something truly original. We will consider: What does it mean to be creative? Is an AI system capable of genuine innovation? Does AI advancement threaten human creativity? How can we augment our workflow in our classrooms to maximise our creativity as educators? I conclude by offering 5 practical prompts that y...

In this episode of the AI Academia Podcast, I explore how to use AI generated tracks in your everyday teaching practice. Platforms like Suno and Udio allow educators to create original tracks quickly and affordably, making them useful for various classroom activities. I’ll share examples of how I’ve used songs to teach anything from times table memorization to exploring Shakespeare’s verse. I also...

In this episode of the AI Academia podcast, I share a practical workflow for using AI tools to assist students in performing rapid research tasks. I describe a lesson I taught to Year 10 students using large language models and Google’s NotebookLM to analyse a range of primary sources as quickly and efficiently as possible. Chat GPT Video Summariser: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-4MDJvo2TJ-video-summari...

In this episode I delve into the human tendency to anthropomorphize AI models and the potential risks associated with this behaviour. We explore why beetles mistake beer bottles for mates, why Hollywood robots tend to be androids and why we are inclined to see AI as sentient. I conclude with a call to educators to equip our students with the digital literacy skills needed to safely navigate the co...

In this episode of the AI Academy podcast, I ask whether advances in artificial intelligence pose a threat to teachers' jobs. Drawing on insights from a LinkedIn article by Chris Goodall, interviews with Khan Academy founder Sal Khan and an innovative programme launched by the David Game College in London last year, I discuss the role of teachers, the rapid development of AI, the quality and human...

In this episode of the AI Academia podcast, I explore seven predictions for advancements in artificial intelligence by the end of 2025 and examine their potential implications for education. You can find out more about the AIcademia project at https://aicademia.co.uk/ 00:00 Introduction to AI Predictions for 2025 01:10 Advances in Frontier Models 07:16 The Rise of AI Agents 10:28 Exploring Multi-M...

In the inaugural episode of the AI Academia Podcast, host Andy Fisher introduces himself and shares the motivations behind starting the podcast. Andy, a seasoned secondary school teacher from the UK, discusses his journey into AI, including his sabbatical research and early adoption of AI tools like ChatGPT. He outlines what listeners can expect from the podcast, such as insights into AI's impact...