ChatEDU: AI in Education

• Beyond the Bot - When a High Schooler Rewrites NASA’s Playbook | Ep. 55

  In this episode of ChatEDU (Beyond the Bot – When a High Schooler Rewrites NASA’s Playbook), Matt and Liz explore AI’s growing role in schools, cities, and culture. From prompt politeness and energy costs to anime selfies and a Google AI giveaway, AI is everywhere. They wrap with a teen whose AI research is changing how we see space.Story 1 – Please, Thank You, and Power DrainMatt and Liz discuss whether courtesy helps or hurts, citing a Waseda study linking impolite prompts to more bias and less accuracy. They also spotlight SaveTheAI.ai, a satirical campaign urging energy conservation for AI as a funny but thoughtful nudge toward sustainability.Story 2 – Google’s Higher Ed Land GrabGoogle now gives U.S. students free access to Gemini Advanced (NotebookLM, Gemini Pro 1.5, and full Workspace tools_ through Spring 2026. Matt and Liz call it a strategic move to dominate student AI use. They ask: is this about access or dependency? With built-in study tools and AI analysis, schoolwork is shifting. As Matt says, it’s nonstop content but less reflection.Story 3 – AI Cosplay Goes ViralOpenAI’s growth came from anime, not upgrades. Ghibli-style selfies let users turn photos into Studio Ghibli characters via GPT-4. Matt and Liz explore what this says about creative AI use. They also touch on copyright law and how AI art is reshaping ideas of originality. Liz demos it live with fun results.Story 4 – Your AI Image Library Is HereChatGPT’s new image library lets users save, organize, and edit visuals. It improves how students and teachers use AI-generated media in class. Liz shares how she used it for Skills21’s College and Career Accelerator, making visuals about kindness. It hints at a more collaborative AI future.Story 5 – When Helpful Bots HallucinateCursor, an AI coding tool, drew backlash when its support bot “Sam” invented a device policy. It was a hallucination. The company refunded users and now labels AI responses. Matt and Liz ask: are bots ready for schools? When AI slips, the fallout can be serious.Beneath the Surface – A Teen’s AI Discovery Stuns NASATeen Mateo Paz used AI to find 1.5 million hidden space objects in NASA’s NEOWISE archive. With Caltech’s Davey Kirkpatrick, he built a model tracking brightness to classify stars and quasars. His solo paper in The Astronomical Journal shows the power of student-led science. This isn’t AI for homework, it’s discovery!Bright Byte – AI for the Visually ImpairedResearchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University created a wearable for the blind using AI and haptics. It beats canes by detecting obstacles in real time. It’s a reminder that AI boosts mobility and not just productivity.Related LinksThe Carbon Cost of Being Polite to AIhttps://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/chatgpt-spends-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-on-people-playing-please-and-thank-you-but-sam-altman-says-its-worth-it Save the AI Satire Campaignhttps://savethe.ai/ Google Student Gemini Giveawayhttps://blog.google/products/gemini/google-one-ai-premium-students-free/ Studio Ghibli and AI Style Lawhttps://siliconangle.com/2025/04/13/openai-doubles-users-800m-1b-thanks-ghibli-style-image-generation/ Mateo Paz Researchhttps://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/ad7fe6 OpenAI Image Library Overviewhttps://www.tomsguide.com/ai/openai-just-added-an-image-library-to-chatgpt-heres-why-its-a-game-changerAI for the Blind Navigation Systemhttps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01214-9 Have a question or comment? Email Matt and Liz at [email protected] Us GrowLike what you hear? Rate and review ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform. Share with a friend, colleague, or educator curious about the future of AI in learning. And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok: @ChatEDUPodcastThis episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

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• Dear AI: Why We’re All Talking to Robots in 2025 | Ep. 54

  In this episode of ChatEDU (Dear AI – Why We’re All Talking to Robots in 2025), Matt reunites with Liz after her trip to Ireland to unpack a shift happening in real time— (em dash on purpose) AI is moving beyond utility and entering emotional, educational, and existential territory. From new research tools that rethink how we teach synthesis, to universities baking AI into their business programs, to Reddit users turning to bots for therapy—(2nd em dash) this episode dives into how and why we’re not just using AI, we’re talking to it. And be sure to check out the intro about Hyodols and the MUCH used em dash.Story 1 – Deep Research, ReimaginedGoogle’s new Deep Research feature in Gemini transforms the AI from summarizer to synthesizer. Matt and Liz discuss how this impacts student learning, dissertation writing, and the future of teaching research in K–12 and higher ed. They also look at how equity comes into play when AI can scaffold complex thinking for every learner.Story 2 – AI in the Wild at American UniversityAmerican University’s School of Business launches an Institute for Applied AI, shifting from AI-avoidance to AI fluency. Students are using AI to design marketing campaigns, assess risk, and model financial statements— (em dash) no coding required. Their tool of choice? Perplexity Pro, now being piloted in higher ed as a full-stack platform.Beneath the Surface – The Emotional Side of AIA new Harvard Business Review analysis of Reddit and Quora threads shows that 2025’s top AI use cases aren’t just about speed—(em dash) they’re about support. Users are turning to AI for therapy, motivation, and life planning. Matt and Liz explore what this means for education, memory, privacy, and how we guide students through emotionally intelligent AI use.Bright Byte – AI and the ClimateAI’s energy use is real—(em dash) but so is its potential to help. This week’s Bright Byte features insights from The Economist on how AI is reducing emissions, optimizing grids, forecasting renewable power, and identifying methane leaks. Thoughtful deployment could turn AI into an ally in climate resilience.Related LinksGemini Deep Researchhttps://www.tomsguide.com/ai/google-just-gave-gemini-a-major-research-upgrade-and-its-already-beating-the-competitionHarvard Business Review: "How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025"- https://hbr.org/2025/04/how-people-are-really-using-gen-ai-in-2025OpenAI’s Memory Update (ARS Technica)-https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/04/chatgpt-can-now-remember-and-reference-all-your-previous-chats/Axios: American University’s AI Business Institute-https://www.axios.com/2025/04/03/generative-ai-business-school-studentsHyodol: AI Care Companion for Seniors-https://en.hyodol.com/Skills21 AI Micro-Credential- https://www.skills21.org/pip-platformThe tasks college students are using Claude AI for most, according to Anthropic- https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-tasks-college-students-are-using-claude-ai-for-most-according-to-anthropic/The Economist: How AI could help the climate-https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/10/how-ai-could-help-the-climateHave a question or comment?Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

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• Murder, She Prompted: High School English with AI Twists | Ep.53

  OverviewIn this episode of ChatEDU (Murder, She Prompted: High School English with AI Twists), Matt sits down with guest co-host Joanne Mumley to explore the unexpected and creative ways AI is reshaping the high school English classroom. With Liz off knitting in Ireland, Joanne steps in to share her powerful blend of innovation, curiosity, and care as both a teacher and department head in Connecticut.In the News: Character AI and the Rise of AI Companionship Among TeensMatt and Joanne discuss a recent Rithm Project article, Why I Am Talking to a TV Show Character About the Nature of Life, which sheds light on teen use of Character.AI. Despite Character.AI's soaring popularity—now ranked third among AI tools—questions about emotional dependency, mental health, and bot overreach abound. Joanne shares her own unnerving experience chatting with a Kafka bot and reflects on how students are aware of the ethical gray areas even if they don’t always speak openly about it. They also explore new research from Dartmouth on AI therapy bots like Therabot and reflect on whether AI can provide real emotional support or just well-intentioned mimicry.Beneath the Surface: From College Policy Sleuthing to Literary RPGs—AI in the ClassroomJoanne walks us through her innovative, hands-on approach to student-facing AI in her high school English classes:- She begins with a college policy investigation where seniors research how their prospective schools are handling AI—discovering everything from detailed repositories to a total lack of guidance.- She dives into project-based learning with interactive museum exhibits inspired by The Nickel Boys, using SchoolAI to simulate feedback from a fictional museum director.- She highlights her shift toward helping students build confidence in their own voices as a strategy to reduce misuse of AI. Through creative exercises like an AI-assisted Julius Caesar football drama and a Handmaid’s Tale-inspired murder mystery, she crafts immersive, tech-informed experiences that are still rooted in classroom relationships and authentic expression.Throughout, Joanne emphasizes balance—tech when it helps, no-tech when it matters, and always human in the foreground.Bright Byte: AI for Earthquake Recovery in MyanmarIn this week’s Bright Byte, Matt shares a compelling story about how Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab and Planet Labs used AI-customized satellite imagery to help first responders assess damage from a 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar. By identifying over 2,000 impacted buildings, the AI-powered effort helped relief agencies like the Red Cross prioritize aid—offering a concrete example of AI doing good at scale.Related Links:Why I Am Talking to a TV Show Character About the Nature of Life – Rhythm Project on Medium:https://medium.com/@info_42369/why-am-i-talking-to-a-tv-show-character-about-the-nature-of-life-d91898da420c MIT Tech Review on Therabot:https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/28/1114001/the-first-trial-of-generative-ai-therapy-shows-it-might-help-with-depression/ Stanford’s AI Policy Hub:https://ai.stanford.eduThe Anxious Generation (book referenced in discussion):https://www.anxiousgeneration.comMLA Guidance on Citing AI:https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/Skills21 PIP Curriculum:https://skills21.org/pipHave a question or comment? Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

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• Flipped Out: How AI Might Save the Flipped Classroom | Ep. 52

  Overview:In this episode of ChatEDU (Flipped Out: How AI Might Save the Flipped Classroom), Matt and Liz explore three views of AI intelligence, spotlight student-led projects using AI in real-world STEM challenges, and revisit the flipped classroom model through the lens of AI support. Plus, a new AI weather tool could make forecasting more accessible than ever.In the News: Three Views on AI IntelligenceA recent meme study found AI consistently created humorous, shareable content—but lacked standout originality. Meanwhile, GPT-4.5 produced a metafictional short story about AI and grief with surprising emotional depth. In contrast, Anthropic’s Claude struggled to play Pokémon, repeatedly getting stuck and failing to learn from mistakes. Together, the stories highlight AI’s jagged abilities: poetic in one context, directionless in another.AI in the Wild: Samsung’s Student InnovatorsThis year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition saw 60% of finalists use AI to solve real-world problems. Highlights include:- Arkansas: AI-powered oral cancer screening for rural dental gaps- Delaware: Smart bandage tracking wound healing- Connecticut: Real-time heat maps using solar sensors- Alaska: Laser road markers for snow-covered highways- Louisiana: Carbon leak monitoring with IoT sensors- Indiana & Colorado: Accessibility tools, including a game controller for kids with disabilitiesThese students are building the skills—creativity, empathy, tech fluency—highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s future jobs report.Beneath the Surface: Can AI Save the Flipped Classroom?Student Megan Adelman argues the flipped classroom often leaves learners behind when they can’t engage with content on their own. Matt and Liz explore how AI might help:- AI tutors like Cogniti can serve as just-in-time help before class- Harvard research showed AI boosted engagement and performance- Tools like Gemini can summarize lecture videos, answer questions, and build study aidsRather than replacing the model, AI could make flipped learning more equitable and effective.Bright Byte: Forecasting for AllAardvark Weather, a new AI model from Cambridge and Microsoft, brings hyperlocal forecasts to any desktop computer—without the need for expensive supercomputers. It opens up accurate, fast forecasting for underserved areas and developing regions.Our Episode SponsorThis episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.orgLinks Referenced in This EpisodeMeme Study via Ethan Mollickhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/emollick_i-regret-to-announce-that-the-meme-turing-activity-7307199008630816769-uHdp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAAE6BUsBQZUD9qMfCOj_0jiGbY_HNE-ZgaUChatGPT 4.5 Metafiction Story – TechRadarhttps://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/chatgpt-just-wrote-the-most-beautiful-short-story-and-i-wonder-what-im-even-doing-hereClaude & Pokémon – Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/why-anthropics-claude-still-hasnt-beaten-pokemon/#:~:text=But%20despite%20recent%20advances%20in,at%20all%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Finalists – BusinessWirehttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250318875587/en/Samsung-Names-10-National-Finalists-in-Solve-for-Tomorrow-STEM-Competition-for-Community-Changing-Ideas-with-AI-3D-Printing-IoT-RoboticsHarvard’s Generative AI in Student Projectshttps://creativecomputing.gse.harvard.edu/genai/GenAI_StudentProjects_Dec2024.pdfAardvark Weather – The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/20/ai-aardvark-weather-prediction-forecasting-artificial-intelligence#:~:text=A%20single%20researcher%20with%20a,computing%20power%20than%20conventional%20systems.Have a question or comment?Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]. Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.

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• Spring Tool Time with Abbe Waldron | Ep. 51

  Overview:In this episode of ChatEDU ("Spring Tool Time with Abbe Waldron"), Matt and Liz welcome back one of their most popular guests: Abbe Waldron, a professional learning specialist at EdAdvance. Abbe shares her spring picks for the most effective AI tools in K–12 education. From lesson planning to curriculum development, she offers real-world insights into how teachers and students can meaningfully integrate AI.In the News: UK Higher Ed Stress TestMatt and Liz unpack a recent UK survey on generative AI in higher education:92% of full-time university students report using AI.88% use it specifically for assessments.51% say it saves time; 50% say it improves work quality.Students are split: some say they’d work harder if AI graded them, others say they’d work less.They explore the idea of “curriculum stress testing,” where institutions evaluate whether assessments can be easily completed using AI. This connects to the need for “durable assessments”—tasks that require more than what AI can quickly generate.Beneath the Surface: Tool Time with Abbe WaldronAbbe returns with an updated toolkit of AI tools she’s using herself—and sharing with educators across the region:NotebookLMA go-to for curriculum development. Abbe uses it to write learning targets, connect units, and organize plans. Features like mind maps, podcast summaries, and clickable citations make it especially teacher-friendly—but it can be scaffolded for students too.Diffit’s “Books” FeatureNow includes a wide range of popular student texts like 1984, Tuck Everlasting, and Diary of Anne Frank. Teachers can create differentiated resources, adjust reading levels, and align materials to standards. A built-in Google Form allows users to request additional titles.PerlegoA professional learning platform with over a million academic and instructional texts. Its research assistant tool pulls together synthesized responses, highlights relevant books, and links directly to full texts. Great for educators working on curriculum or independent study.Goblin ToolsA free suite of tools designed with neurodivergent users in mind, but helpful for all. Includes a tone adjuster for emails, a time estimator, and a “magic to-do list” that breaks down tasks step by step. Abbe recommends it for both students and teachers, particularly around communication and organization.Bright Bytes: AI Detects Cancer with 99% AccuracyResearchers at Charles Darwin University have developed an AI model that can detect endometrial cancer with 99.26% accuracy by analyzing microscopic images. It also shows high performance in detecting colorectal, breast, and oral cancers. This advancement could dramatically improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes in the near future.Our Episode SponsorNational Center for Next Generation Manufacturing –https://www.nextgenmfg.orgRelated Links:HEPI UK Student Survey – https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/02/26/student-generative-ai-survey-2025/  NotebookLM – https://notebooklm.google/ Diffit – https://web.diffit.me/ Perlego – https://www.perlego.com/Goblin Tools – https://goblin.tools/The Scale of AI Pirated Books - https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/libgen-meta-openai/682093/ Search the LibGen Library -https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/search-libgen-data-set/682094/  Cancer Detection Bright Bite (Charles Darwin University) -https://www.cdu.edu.au/news/ai-diagnoses-major-cancer-near-perfect-accuracy Have a question or comment? Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform!

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