ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast

Matt Mervis and Dr. Elizabeth Radday

Welcome to ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast , your go-to podcast for insightful discussions on the intersection of AI and education! Hosted by Matt Mervis, Director of Skills21 and AI Strategy at EdAdvance, and Dr. Elizabeth Radday, Director of Research & Innovation, this podcast explores the dynamic landscape of education technology.

  1. 3d ago

    Low & Slow - Avoiding the Hype with Alexandra Walsh (Amplify) | Ep. 121

    Uncover how AI is transforming education publishing, navigate screen time policies, and meet a viral tech raccoon! Before diving into AI and edtech, Matt and Liz break down the viral internet sensation of Jimothy, a Seattle raccoon with short spine syndrome who inspired a developer to create a retro eight-bit video game. The Rundown Sally the Robot Paused: A New York school district puts its controversial humanoid classroom robot pilot on hold following community pushback. Gemini Notebook Collections: Google rolls out top-level navigation and collection folders to help users organize their numerous notebooks. ISTE Releases Stretch: The organization announces the broad release of its specialized educator chatbot trained exclusively on vetted materials. Human Intelligence Certificate: An academic proposal suggests students prove unassisted thinking through in-person tasks before integrating AI into studies. Substack AI Detection: Substack partners with Pangram to help readers identify AI-generated text in published posts. North Carolina Screen Time Guidance: The state issues purpose-driven framework guidelines rather than hard hourly limits for student devices. Schools Beyond Screens Moratorium: A national coalition calls for a complete generative AI moratorium across all school districts. Student Advocacy in Washington: A high school student argues that schools must actively teach practical civic advocacy skills to help youth shape legislation. Beneath the Surface Low and Slow: Avoiding the Hype with Alexandra Walsh Alexandra Walsh, Chief Product Officer at Amplify, joins Matt and Liz to discuss how a major educational publisher thoughtfully balances innovation and quality. She explores internal AI workflows, teacher-mediated tools like discussion moments, and the vital importance of maintaining human connection in classrooms. Bright Byte Engineers have successfully tested a forty-gram autonomous micro drone designed to track and eliminate disease-carrying mosquitoes mid-air using ultrasonic sensors and AI software. Say hi to Matt on the road:  New Jersey Association of Independent Schools - August 11th https://members.njais.org/integratedEvents/home/2026-INNOVATION-COLLABORATION-CONFERENCE RIACTE - August 14th - Sponsored in part by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing https://www.nextgenmfg.org/event-details/rhode-island-acte-summer-conference Announcements Purchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Seeing through the Machine – Teaching Bias as an Equity Practice in AI - Dr. Elizabeth Radday - https://tinyurl.com/4ybwkn7a Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ​​⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠ Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social Address Screen Time concerns - skills21.org/ai/screenshift Sponsors The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing: Your Gateway to Next Generation Advanced Manufacturing - https://www.nextgenmfg.org Links Beneath Surface with Alexandra Walsh https://amplify.com/ LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/fyxczf62 8-Bit 'Jimothy': Viral Sensation Gets a Video Game https://tinyurl.com/2ez4z4c7 NY Classroom's Humanoid Robot Meets Backlash https://tinyurl.com/bddm7m53 Google Is Fixing the Biggest Problem With Too Many Gemini Notebooks https://tinyurl.com/ykh7tfch Stretch, ISTE's Chatbot, Is Ready to Go https://tinyurl.com/ydvhmf4w Students Should Prove They Don't Need AI Before Using It https://tinyurl.com/5tesaru3 Substack is adding an AI detection feature https://tinyurl.com/aeyyb3yb New DPI screen guidance stops short of time limits https://tinyurl.com/2786k9v4 Screen Time Guidelines Shift as Research Grows More Nuanced https://tinyurl.com/3t7tek8r Students can shape policy. Why don't schools show them how? https://tinyurl.com/yzthbkwr A Drone That Hunts Mosquitoes https://tinyurl.com/y95hcycy

  2. 4d ago

    Deep Fake Epidemic | Check-In 48

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: Deep Fake Epidemic, Matt explores a report from Common Sense Media on teenagers and AI-generated sexual content." This research marks the third summer report from Common Sense Media examining digital safety risks facing youth. It details how manipulated imagery is impacting adolescents across mainstream social channels. Key Takeaways: Nearly half of all teenagers report encountering AI-generated explicit content, most often by accident while scrolling mainstream platforms. A significant number of adolescents have personal experience with deepfake imagery featuring peers or people they know in real life. While most teens express deep concern about non-consensual deepfakes, only 20 percent have ever discussed AI-generated sexual content with an adult. Matt’s Two Cents: District and school leaders must take proactive action by updating student handbooks and board policies to address deepfakes, following state legislative efforts such as Illinois requiring deepfakes in district cyberbullying policies. Beyond policy implementation, schools must prioritize open conversations with students to bridge the communication gap and help mitigate digital safety risks. Article: Teens and Explicit Deepfakes in the Age of AI https://tinyurl.com/5a4mvhtr

  3. 6d ago

    MLB Bans AI | Check-In 47

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: MLB BANS AI, Matt explores Major League Baseball banning real-time AI programs in team dugouts. Major League Baseball restricted dugout iPads to prevent teams like the New York Mets from using custom software to guide live game strategy. The decision highlights an ongoing debate across sports and education on whether real-time technology enhances or undermines decision-making. Key Takeaways: MLB disabled custom tabs on dugout iPads to block real-time AI tools from recommending live pitch calls and substitutions. The New York Mets heavily invested in custom pitch-selection AI, which drew league attention and triggered the broader crackdown. Players and managers expressed surprise over real-time tech influence, though many acknowledge organizations must adapt to emerging technology or risk falling behind. Matt’s Two Cents: While sports leagues may try to carve out tech-free environments, real-time AI decision support is already commonplace across industries like health, aviation, and education. School leaders should focus on identifying the right tools for informed decision-making and teaching users to navigate AI fallibility rather than attempting temporary bans. Article: MLB restricts dugout iPad use to prevent AI help with strategy. Ottavino says Mets were involved https://tinyurl.com/mpjca3z5

  4. Jul 24

    The Digital Dollar Bin: The Rise of Cheap, Unaligned AI Curriculum | Ep. 120

    In this episode of ChatEDU, The Digital Dollar Bin: The Rise of Cheap, Unaligned AI Curriculum, Matt and Liz kick it off with a hilarious look at a viral YouTube short featuring tech founder Palmer Luckey. They discuss Luckey using a wild, highly detailed roleplay prompt about a university professor under investigation just to force ChatGPT to generate a complete list of alcoholic beverages mentioned in Jimmy Buffett songs. The Rundown Google rebrands NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook while introducing code execution capabilities and cloud computing for advanced analysis. University of Minnesota researchers develop a tool designed to strip AI writing tells and formatting patterns from research papers. A Common Sense Media study reveals that Google's embedded AI Overviews consistently fail safety checks regarding mental health, substance use, and academic integrity on underage accounts. An Anthropic study demonstrates that Claude's core values, warmth, and rigor shift significantly depending on the language used and the specific model version. Illinois released 409 pages of school AI guidance covering deepfakes, SEL scenarios, and high-stakes ethical boundaries. Tech executive Steve Sinofsky compares modern university laptop bans to early 1980s efforts to ban portable computers and word processors. The FCC opens a top-to-bottom review of E-rate, raising educator concerns about cuts to school broadband funding. The Beneath the Surface Matt and Liz examine low-cost AI lesson planning tools and their effect on instructional quality, including efforts to ground AI in district curriculum through Brisk and Claude for Teachers. They close with a University of Pennsylvania study from Türkiye linking generic AI assistants to worse student outcomes. The Bright Byte After Venezuela's twin earthquakes, civilian developers used Claude Opus and Replit to build relief platforms in hours, collecting missing-person reports, mapping hospital capacity, and coordinating aid. Say hi to Matt on the road:  New Jersey Association of Independent Schools - August 11thhttps://members.njais.org/integratedEvents/home/2026-INNOVATION-COLLABORATION-CONFERENCE RIACTE - August 14th - Sponsored in part by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing https://www.nextgenmfg.org/event-details/rhode-island-acte-summer-conference Say hi to Liz on the Road Global Teaching Dialogue | Fulbright Teacher Exchanges https://share.google/F2CwJdKGIVoe7RIHg Announcements Purchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Seeing through the Machine – Teaching Bias as an Equity Practice in AI - Dr. Elizabeth Radday - https://tinyurl.com/4ybwkn7a Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ​​⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠ Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠ Address Screen Time concerns - ⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠ Sponsors The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing: Your Gateway to Next Generation Advanced Manufacturing - https://www.nextgenmfg.org Links Panodime - Posting something insane an AI executive said every day in 2026 https://tinyurl.com/5yjpf833 NotebookLM Is Now Gemini Notebook https://tinyurl.com/4jrttj8h AI 'Humanizer' Tool Alarms Scientists https://tinyurl.com/2s35uyf7 Report: Google's AI Search Poses Risks to Kids https://tinyurl.com/2sszrsup Claude’s values across models and languages https://tinyurl.com/2aszvyxp The '&udm=14' Trick Google Users Are Using https://tinyurl.com/5ye5dmke Banning AI in Law School: We've Seen This Before https://tinyurl.com/rzb6mh45 FCC Weighs Cutting Subsidy for School Internet Bills https://tinyurl.com/4bbb7ncv Introducing Claude for Teachers https://tinyurl.com/mr2b5w43 Our District Blocked Anthropic's Claude for Teachers https://tinyurl.com/358r3ee4 Teachers save time with AI. Their students may pay the price https://tinyurl.com/2ebcrv85

  5. Jul 23

    Ai Isn't Smarter Than a Baby Yet | Check-In 46

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: AI Isn't Smarter Than Babies, Yet, Liz explores how human infants develop language and spatial awareness far more efficiently than modern AI models. While machine learning algorithms require vast mountains of video and text data, infants possess an innate cognitive framework that allows them to learn rapidly from minimal input. This episode highlights the fundamental gap between statistical pattern matching and genuine human intuition. Key Takeaways: AI models fail to grasp basic physical reality and common sense when tested on first-person video captured by infant-mounted cameras. Human infants acquire language and spatial reasoning with remarkable efficiency, whereas algorithms require thousands of hours of data to achieve fractional understanding. Statistical pattern recognition cannot replace the innate conceptual framework children use to understand physical objects and social dynamics. Liz’s Two Cents: While researchers work to make artificial intelligence more efficient and intelligent, biological learning remains superior. For school leaders, this reinforces that human cognitive development, intuitive reasoning, and real-world experience cannot be easily replicated by digital tools. Article: AI Isn’t Smarter Than a Baby—Yet https://bit.ly/4fefopr

  6. Jul 21

    Why Your Kids Might Be Jealous of Your Smartphone | Check-In 45

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: Why Your Kids Might Be Jealous of Your Smartphone, Liz explores a new study linking parental screen time to adolescent emotional attachment issues. The study examines how teenagers perceive their caregivers' attentional drift and how that digital distraction impacts family relationships. Key Takeaways: A recent survey connects teenager perception of parental screen distraction to higher scores for emotional attachment difficulties. The survey specifically evaluated how adolescent perception of a caregiver's attentional availability negatively affects their relationship. The findings reflect correlation rather than causation, meaning insecure teens may simply be more annoyed by their parents' device habits. Liz’s Two Cents: Parental media use directly influences how connected children feel, prompting school leaders and families to evaluate their own screen habits. Reflecting on attentional drift can help adults model healthier digital balance for students both at home and in the classroom. Article: New Study Says Parents’ Phone Use Might Be Giving Kids Attachment Issues Later On https://bit.ly/4b2usnw

  7. Jul 17

    Durable Assessments Improve Attendance and Vibes | Ep. 119

    In this episode of ChatEDU, Durable Assessments Improve Attendance and Vibes, Matt and Liz kick it off with a discussion about their upcoming travel schedules, the exciting design of their new studio, and a concerning tech story regarding how hackers are using AI to hallucinate and squat on web domains to host phishing exploits and malware. The Rundown Liz discusses the new Google Drive feature that organizes research by pulling in docs, emails, and files without changing their original folder structure. An overview of the new independent, open-source benchmark designed to evaluate how AI models and consumer applications interact with children. Matt and Liz also look at a critique of the study and a white paper on AI safety from MagicSchool.  An update on the directive for principals to pause new software purchases until official AI guidance is finalized. A breakdown of a new, highly affordable AI-dedicated phone in China that removes standard apps like games and browsers to focus on education. A summary of new legislation in Illinois that expands the state definition of cyberbullying to include AI-generated deepfakes and replicas. The Beneath the Surface Matt and Liz recap recent higher ed news and dig into professors moving away from proctored exams and blue books toward durable assessments. Iterative assignments and human-centered projects are driving better attendance and better vibes, shifting classrooms out of a cat-and-mouse game with AI and toward reasoning. The Bright Byte The episode concludes with an uplifting report on the development of an AI-driven malaria intelligence system in Nigeria. This platform uses epidemiological and environmental data to shift malaria control from reactive efforts to predictive, precision public health, offering a potential model for fighting other infectious diseases across Africa. Say hi to Matt on the road: New Jersey Association of Independent Schools - August 11th ⁠https://members.njais.org/integratedEvents/home/2026-INNOVATION-COLLABORATION-CONFERENCE⁠ RIACTE - August 14th - Sponsored in part by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org/event-details/rhode-island-acte-summer-conference⁠ Say hi to Liz on the Road Bridges Conference 2026 by Starbridge | New York, July 21-22 ⁠https://share.google/0Ky8DA4yQbYLQcmWQ⁠ Global Teaching Dialogue | Fulbright Teacher Exchanges ⁠https://share.google/F2CwJdKGIVoe7RIHg⁠ Announcements Purchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday Amazon - ⁠https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77⁠ Seeing through the Machine – Teaching Bias as an Equity Practice in AI - Dr. Elizabeth Radday - ⁠https://tinyurl.com/4ybwkn7a⁠ Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ​​⁠⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠⁠ Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠⁠ Address Screen Time concerns -⁠ ⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠⁠ Sponsors The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing - ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠ Links Phantom Squatting: Phishing via AI-Hallucinated Domains ⁠https://tinyurl.com/m42mtxvv⁠ Drive Projects Replaced My NotebookLM ⁠https://tinyurl.com/yvv6tud2⁠ KORA: Benchmarking AI Child Safety ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bp9nh8ph⁠ AI Companions in Schools ⁠https://tinyurl.com/4j74d6rb⁠ NYC Schools: Pause Ed-Tech Buys ⁠https://tinyurl.com/b29j3dnx⁠ Lenovo's Locked-Down AI Student Phone ⁠https://tinyurl.com/yeyxr4ns⁠ Illinois Takes On AI Deepfakes in Schools ⁠https://tinyurl.com/5h8rjmvv⁠ AI-cademy 2026 ⁠https://tinyurl.com/27dephj6⁠ US Students Outsource Writing to AI More Than International Peers ⁠https://tinyurl.com/r26wejvn⁠ CICS Adds AI Concentrations ⁠https://tinyurl.com/yuhkp6sr⁠ Syracuse Launches AI Academic Portfolio ⁠https://tinyurl.com/3eff8u33⁠ Time for Class 2026: The AI Tipping Point ⁠https://tinyurl.com/2pnpa4b9⁠ A Malaria Intelligence System ⁠https://tinyurl.com/mr3dy2dv⁠

  8. Jul 16

    From Token Max to Token Cap | Check-In 44

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: Throttling AI Access, Matt explores how major corporations are actively restricting employee access to artificial intelligence tools to mitigate ballooning operational expenses in this episode. Internal communications from tech, banking, and entertainment firms reveal that companies are forcing employees toward less resource-intensive models to control their budgets. This abrupt shift marks a dramatic reversal from the recent trend of universal corporate deployment. Key Takeaways: Major corporations are throttling employee use of AI to curb massive, unpredictable spending. The financial strain is driven by developers charging based on computational consumption, or tokens, rather than flat-rate fees. Several prominent tech giants are resorting to complete service terminations and ending legacy access tiers to manage the budget burn rate. Matt’s Two Cents: Unlike the corporate world, which has experienced a volatile pendulum swing from encouraging employees to "token max" to abruptly cutting off access, the education sector has taken a more measured and strategic approach. School leaders should find reassurance in knowing that because K-12 and higher education operate under different incentives, they have avoided these chaotic cycles, highlighting the value of deliberate, thoughtful integration over reactionary corporate trends. Article: Companies Are Throttling Employees’ AI Use Because It’s Too Expensive https://bit.ly/3STbCct

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4.9
out of 5
48 Ratings

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Welcome to ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast , your go-to podcast for insightful discussions on the intersection of AI and education! Hosted by Matt Mervis, Director of Skills21 and AI Strategy at EdAdvance, and Dr. Elizabeth Radday, Director of Research & Innovation, this podcast explores the dynamic landscape of education technology.

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