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. 1H AGO

    Why Students Should Solve Real-World Problems, Not Just Learn About AI | Ep. 96

    In this episode of ChatEDU (Why Students Should Solve Real-World Problems, Not Just Learn About AI), Matt and Liz open with two weird AI stories that set the tone for a wide-ranging conversation about safety, policy, and purpose. From there, they move quickly through the week’s biggest headlines before closing with a powerful interview on why real-world problem solving is the most durable form of AI literacy. The Run Down A bipartisan Senate hearing raises alarms about student screen time, AI tools, and online safety. Lawmakers focus less on innovation and more on developmental impact, signaling a shift toward regulation and accountability in edtech. New court documents suggest Meta leadership was aware of risks tied to sexualized chatbot interactions with minors. Matt and Liz connect the story to growing political backlash and questions of corporate responsibility. Houston ISD announces new K–8 schools centered on AI, design thinking, accelerated learning, and whole-child development. Music, community service, and leadership skills are built into the model, though details are still emerging. The UK government plans to provide AI tutoring support to up to 450,000 disadvantaged students by 2027. Designed with teachers, the tools aim to supplement classroom instruction and expand access to one-to-one support. Denver Public Schools blocks student access to ChatGPT over safety and privacy concerns. Approved AI tools with stricter safeguards remain allowed, highlighting the rise of district-level AI governance. A BBC analysis explores why people increasingly turn to chatbots for emotional support. Research suggests AI often appears more attentive and compassionate than humans, raising questions about listening, attention, and connection. Beneath the Surface Matt speaks with Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Technovation, about why students learn AI best by solving real problems in their communities. Tara shares decades of evidence showing that project-based learning builds confidence, purpose, and true AI literacy. The conversation highlights Technovation’s free AI in Action curriculum and the power of mentorship and courage. Bright Byte: AI as a Scientific Collaborator OpenAI reports that over one million weekly users now use ChatGPT for advanced math and science research. From proofs to data analysis, AI is accelerating discovery across scientific fields. Announcements Celebrate our 100th episode: ⁠skills21.org/chatedu100⁠ Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday ASCD: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn⁠  Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zw EdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠  Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course. Check it out here - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠ This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠ Links Technovation ⁠https://www.technovation.org/⁠ AI in Action Curriculum | Technovation  ⁠https://www.technovation.org/ai-in-action/ Alaska Student Arrested for Eating an AI Art https://tinyurl.com/3nbsf38x How an AI Schoolgirl Became a Far-Right Star https://tinyurl.com/2rwc24xe Senate’s Youth Tech Hearing: Signals for Education, Edtech, and AI Policy https://tinyurl.com/54smc83d Zuckerberg Rejected Teen AI “Off” Switch, Lawsuit Says https://tinyurl.com/9jt85kym HISD to Pilot AI-Focused K–8 Schools https://tinyurl.com/4kau6rdb AI Tools Could Help 450,000 Disadvantaged Pupils https://tinyurl.com/fpw4mxsf Colorado’s largest school district bans ChatGPT for students https://tinyurl.com/bdfw8b9s What AI can teach us about listening better https://tinyurl.com/bdcez369 AI as a Scientific Collaborator https://tinyurl.com/4pu6xyz8

    1h 6m

  2. JAN 30

    Has the One Feature Educators Demanded Arrived? | Ep. 95

    In this episode of ChatEDU (Has the One Feature Educators Demanded Arrived?), Matt and Liz open with a snowy update and a cautionary tale: a professor from the University of Cologne lost two years of research after turning off a ChatGPT setting. From there, the episode digs into AI’s influence across science, labor, classrooms, and edtech adoption, ending with the feature educators have been asking for. The Run Down OpenAI’s CFO Sarah Friar suggests the company could take a stake in scientific breakthroughs it helps power, raising questions about AI’s role in discovery and profit. The IMF warns that AI could impact 60% of jobs in developed countries, hitting young workers especially hard as entry-level roles disappear. Researchers use Dungeons & Dragons to test AI models’ ability to stay in character and track complex narratives. Claude 3.5 performed best, with GPT-4o trailing slightly. OpenAI launches a national-scale education initiative with countries like Estonia, Greece, and Jordan using ChatGPT Edu in classrooms. Anthropic, Google, and Microsoft are racing to win over schools. From Minecraft to Khan Academy, each company is pushing tools to shape how students learn with AI. A pilot in New York shows strong results when teachers co-design AI use in classrooms. Student outcomes improved, and teachers saved time. Reid Hoffman encourages schools and companies to focus less on flashy pilots and more on practical AI use for meetings, notes, and everyday tasks. A new study finds executives are gaining time with AI, while many frontline employees say it adds work or makes errors they need to fix. The Economist questions decades of edtech investment, calling it profitable but largely ineffective. Some countries, like Denmark, are returning to textbooks. Beneath the Surface The UK’s Department for Education released detailed AI safety standards, calling for transparency, student interaction logs, and protection against emotional manipulation. At BETT, Google responded with a major update: educators will soon get dashboards showing student use of Gems and NotebookLM, finally offering the visibility schools have been demanding. Announcements Celebrate our 100th episode: ⁠skills21.org/chatedu100⁠ Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday ASCD: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn⁠ Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zw EdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠ Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course Check it out here - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠ This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠ Links OpenAI’s Sarah Friar on Squawk Box https://tinyurl.com/h6jtz4bu AI Job Losses to Hit Young Workers Most, IMF Warns https://tinyurl.com/4a7hkbsx Using Dungeons & Dragons to Test AI Limits https://tinyurl.com/2eknyc95 Introducing OpenAI’s Education for Countries https://tinyurl.com/bdhnz4aw Anthropic, Google and Microsoft fight to win teachers https://tinyurl.com/57ch2zre AI in Schools Needs Teacher Buy-In https://tinyurl.com/4fnv2f3b Hoffman on Why Companies Are Getting AI Wrong https://tinyurl.com/nuursbkw Does AI save time? Executives say yes, employees say no. https://tinyurl.com/2xxuntaa Ed tech is profitable. It is also mostly useless https://tinyurl.com/zbupby9e Generative AI: Product Safety Standards https://tinyurl.com/3z7rwtu5 Google Expands Gemini Features in Classroom https://tinyurl.com/4fufr84b The Leaders Turning AI Into Impact https://tinyurl.com/yxn76mdd

    50 min

  3. JAN 23

    Deep Think: What If AI Could Help Us Reclaim Our Attention Spans? | Ep. 94

    In this episode of ChatEDU (Deep Think: What If AI Could Help Us Reclaim Our Attention Spans?), Matt and Liz open with an AI slip-up at the National Weather Service that invented fake towns, raising trust and oversight concerns, before launching into a wide-ranging rundown. The Rundown The episode opens on health and AI: OpenAI is piloting a Health tab in ChatGPT, raising privacy and legal questions, while MIT Sloan research suggests personalized generative AI can aid weight loss, but lacks community support. Matt and Liz discuss reports showing Google’s AI Overviews gave inaccurate medical advice, prompting Google to pull some health summaries and highlighting the risks of AI errors in high-stakes settings. The discussion shifts to safety and governance, with Google and Character.AI pursuing early settlements in teen chatbot death cases, highlighting regulatory gaps and OpenAI partnering with Common Sense Media on California’s Parents and Kids Safe AI Act. They also address backlash against X after Grok was used to generate nonconsensual sexualized images, prompting the company to rein in those capabilities. Education wraps the K–12 segment, with a deepfake response course co-created by Elliston Berry, a teen targeted by AI abuse, a practical deepfake detection infographic from Evan Harris, and Lego’s new hands-on AI literacy kits. The focus shifts to higher ed: U.S. college enrollment has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, led by public schools and workforce credentials, as Google doubles down on skills and curiosity over degrees in hiring. The rundown closes with a Brookings report warning that AI’s risks in education currently outweigh its benefits, contrasted with a Brookings video offering a more nuanced take on AI’s impact on work and learning. Beneath the Surface Matt and Liz ask whether AI can counter fragmented attention, using tools like Google Gemini to replace doomscrolling with focused interactions, before debating world models and whether they represent play or a shift from consumption to creation. Bright Byte In the Alps, rescuers used drones and AI to scan thousands of images, spot a single red helmet in the snow, and recover a missing mountaineer, showcasing AI’s growing role in search and rescue. Announcements Celebrate our 100th episode: ⁠skills21.org/chatedu100⁠ Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday ASCD: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn⁠  Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zw EdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠ Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course. Check it out here - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠ This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠ Links AI Map Hallucinates Idaho Towns https://tinyurl.com/5n8kwx8r OpenAI’s Risky Health Push https://tinyurl.com/yw3p53uk Generative AI Boosts Weight Loss https://tinyurl.com/5yd26hds Google’s AI Health Safety Crisis https://tinyurl.com/ymhv9p3k Google Halts Medical AI Overviews https://tinyurl.com/3jtuxn8x Google Settles Teen AI Death Cases https://tinyurl.com/24pbmph3 Joint Push for California Child AI Law https://tinyurl.com/4w6ehwjf X Halts Grok AI "Undressing" https://tinyurl.com/2z6f4nbh Fighting Deepfakes: A Victim’s New Course https://tinyurl.com/f7upcs9k Lego uses bricks to demystify AI https://tinyurl.com/2dtpwa5n College Gains: Cost and Career Focus https://tinyurl.com/3p5p8tns Skills Over Degrees at Google https://tinyurl.com/2kexb69e Students in AI World: Prosper, Prepare, Protect https://tinyurl.com/mryx5mk7 Gemini better than doomscrolling https://tinyurl.com/3xmuwupz Can AI Restore Gen Z's Focus? https://tinyurl.com/yyac2u62 AI Solved Mystery of a Missing Mountaineer https://tinyurl.com/mpd34m8u Why Young Workers Are Hit First https://tinyurl.com/mp32zebb

    52 min

  4. JAN 16

    Can We Teach AI Without Teaching Computer Science? | Ep. 93

    In This Week’s Episode, “Can We Teach AI Without Teaching Computer Science?” we dig into this timely question. With more students exploring AI majors and tools like ChatGPT reshaping how we learn, we look at how schools, colleges, and policymakers are rethinking both CS and AI education. Before we get there, we cover a wide range of topics including: Ohio’s new model AI policy for K–12 schools, including student use, ethics, and third-party tools. A national policy guide for NCII (non-consensual intimate imagery) from the Center for Democracy and Technology. Grok AI under scrutiny for generating deepfake images of women and children. Finland’s preschool push for AI and media literacy, part of its national curriculum starting at age 3. Instagram’s authenticity crisis, as CEO Adam Mosseri warns about AI overload, while Meta's own bots deceive users. A free digital wellness resource: the Social Balance Curriculum from EdAdvance, now available to schools. Two Sides of a Coin Study 1: AI’s “sycophantic” tone may reduce pro-social behavior and increase user dependence. Study 2: In a controlled trial, Therabot (AI therapy) matches human therapists for treating depression. An NYU professor builds an AI-powered oral exam for just 42 cents per student, using 11 Labs and LLMs for grading. Beneath the Surface From The New York Times: Students are shifting from CS to AI-focused majors as job roles evolve. Jeffrey Hinton argues CS is still vital, it's more than just coding. Jan LeCun says CS needs more rigorous math foundations to stay relevant. Bright Byte A new AI model (AFLOC) can read medical images without expert labeling by pairing image recognition with text, a major breakthrough for small hospitals and faster diagnostics. Announcements Celebrate our 100th episode: skills21.org/chatedu100 Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday ASCD: https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn  Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zw The Winter Micro-Credential starts soon. Join the six-week dive into AI literacy, pedagogy, assessment, and ethics. www.skills21.org/ai/micro EdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​www.skills21.org/ai/learnai Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course? Check it out here - https://www.skills21.org/social-balance This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. https://www.nextgenmfg.org Links Lego Unveils the Smart Brick https://tinyurl.com/ypzwx3az California Bill Seeks 4-Year AI Toy Ban https://tinyurl.com/fd49cy6w AI Model Policy for Ohio Districts and Schools https://tinyurl.com/mr33tpk7 Model Policy and Infographic: Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery for Schools https://tinyurl.com/59r88755 UK Minister: Grok AI Images "Appalling" https://tinyurl.com/bdeecexa Watchdog: Grok Fueling Child Abuse Material https://tinyurl.com/5fys63dv Finland Fights Fakes in Preschool https://tinyurl.com/muafbvsc Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri - Authenticity After Abundance https://tinyurl.com/mryrdfrp AI Bots Trick Teen on Instagram https://tinyurl.com/4z2u64ey AI Flattery Breeds Dependence https://tinyurl.com/3t9x53vv Generative AI Therapy May Help with Depression https://tinyurl.com/5n7ktpum NYU Professor Fights AI Cheating with AI-Powered Oral Exams https://tinyurl.com/39fak2nh College Students Flock to a New Major: A.I. https://tinyurl.com/2v62and6 Geoffrey Hinton: Computer Science degree will remain valuable https://tinyurl.com/4fxdrmnx Yann LeCun's advice for young students wanting to go into AI https://tinyurl.com/ydsnxuf Hands-On With New LEGO Smart Play Sets! https://tinyurl.com/5xwzapuu

    48 min

  5. JAN 9

    When AI Handles the Hard Parts – What Educators Lose Without the Struggle | Ep. 92

    In this episode of ChatEDU (When AI Handles the Hard Parts – What Educators Lose Without the Struggle) Matt and Liz start with a look at the new Gemini Live update before jumping into the Rundown. From there, they go Beneath the Surface with a deeper take on AI’s impact on growth and leadership, then close with a Bright Byte on carbon battery storage and the future of clean energy. The Run Down Governments are stepping in on youth social media, with New York adding mental health labels, Virginia capping use, and Australia banning platforms for kids under sixteen. 2025 reset generative AI as adoption stalled and hype faded, shifting the industry toward slower, more durable growth Autonomous agents still have a lot to learn. Claude AI’s takeover of a newsroom vending machine spiraled into chaos, highlighting real-world failure modes. Fear of AI detection is changing how students write, with kids deliberately dumbing down their work, undermining confidence, voice, and authentic learning. Popular AI tools failed key safeguarding tests, raising serious questions about readiness and oversight in schools. A new school procurement guide raises the bar on AI data governance and compliance, signaling a shift from innovation-first to accountability-first adoption. Districts are piloting ChatGPT for IEP paperwork, but transparency is critical to protect trust, oversight, and legal compliance. Beneath the Surface An HBR piece warns that AI shortcuts may erode mastery, empathy, and growth, prompting leaders to rethink how they preserve the human side of work. Google is partnering with Energy Dome to deploy 200-MWh CO₂ battery storage, using compressed carbon dioxide instead of rare minerals to scale clean energy infrastructure. Announcements Celebrate our 100th episode: skills21.org/chatedu100 Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday ASCD: https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn  Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zw The Winter Micro-Credential starts soon. Join the six-week dive into AI literacy, pedagogy, assessment, and ethics. www.skills21.org/ai/micro EdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​www.skills21.org/ai/learnai Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course? Check it out here - https://www.skills21.org/social-balance This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. https://www.nextgenmfg.org Links 3 Must-Try Gemini Live Tricks https://tinyurl.com/496pke3u New York Orders Mental Health Labels https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/26/new-york-to-require-social-media-platforms-to-display-mental-health-labels Virginia Limits Social Media Use for Minors https://tinyurl.com/4vy7h92j Parents Eye Australia’s Social Media Banh ttps://tinyurl.com/4brsc42r The great AI hype correction of 2025 https://tinyurl.com/5acwnx7a Letting AI Run Our Vending Machine Cost Us Hundreds https://tinyurl.com/yjvf47kd ChatGPT May Prioritize Advertisers https://tinyurl.com/2yw5s869 Why AI Policing Makes Kids Write Worse https://tinyurl.com/mwkpcn5f AI Chatbots Fail School Safeguarding Tests https://tinyurl.com/2z8zpbhu K–12 AI Data Checklist https://tinyurl.com/yb5b72px ChatGPT to Be Used for Special Education Compliance https://tinyurl.com/3zsws26d Schools to Use ChatGPT for Special Ed Compliance https://tinyurl.com/3zsws26d Teen Siblings Compete in a 24-Hour Hackathon https://tinyurl.com/52hdnrfc AI Is Reshaping Learning at Work https://tinyurl.com/2w9wc67k 3 Must-Try Gemini Live Tricks After Its Upgrade https://tinyurl.com/2acs2j2p Darren Coxon’s LinkedIn post https://tinyurl.com/53cv5ax4 Jill Coleman’s Post https://tinyurl.com/2tcpz73f Dr. Philippa’s Post https://tinyurl.com/k8kj8s2n Google Deploys CO₂ Battery Facilities https://tinyurl.com/5n7muvbj

    1 hr

  6. JAN 2

    What Breaks + What Sticks – Education's AI Future in 2026 | Ep. 91

    In this episode of ChatEDU (What Breaks + What Sticks – Education's AI Future in 2026), Matt and Liz note the shift to video-first shows, run through their 2025 AI and teaching outlook, then close with 2026 predictions and a Bright Byte on turning trash into textiles. The Rundown Story #1: NotebookLM Gets Smarter and More Structured Google’s NotebookLM adds Data Tables and a leaked Lecture Mode, moving it from research tool toward an instructional partner. Story #2: ChatGPT Adds Mood Controls OpenAI’s update lets users fine-tune ChatGPT’s tone and style, enabling new classroom uses while raising concerns about over-customization and dependence. Story #3: Deepfakes in Schools Escalate An AP report finds explicit deepfakes targeting students are surging, outpacing school responses and raising serious legal, ethical, and emotional risks. Story #4: AI Literacy in Action Valerie Ziegler teaches AI literacy to help students spot misinformation, fact-check content, and detect AI manipulation. Story #5: Social Balance Skills21’s Social Balance tool helps students reflect on AI and digital habits, encouraging more intentional tech use. Story #6: Beyond the Bot – Gemini’s “Fund My Crazy” Student Challenge Google’s Gemini contest drew 29,000 entries in nine days, with winners showing students moving beyond prompts to real AI problem solving. Story #7: Amazon and Playlab Expand AI Access Amazon’s $800K investment expands Playlab’s AI education program to nearly 500,000 students, highlighting scalable, equitable AI learning. Story #8: AI for Action Curriculum Playlab’s “AI for Action” unit teaches students to build real school and community solutions with AI, blending ethics, design thinking, and storytelling. Story #9: The AI-Ready Graduate Profile ISTE and ASCD released a six-part framework defining purposeful, human-led AI skills for graduates, already used in places like Winchester, VA. Beneath the Surface Matt and Liz predict durable assessments, classroom vibe coding, AI-driven LMSs, slimmer standards, and increased reliance on human judgment as detection improves. Bright Byte: Chicken Feathers into Cashmere Everbloom’s Braid.AI uses machine learning to turn keratin-rich waste like chicken feathers into soft, biodegradable, cashmere-like fibers. Announcements and Sponsor Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday ASCD: https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn - use discount code RADDAY30 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zw The Winter Micro-Credential starts soon. Join the six-week dive into AI literacy, pedagogy, assessment, and ethics. www.skills21.org/ai/micro  EdAdvance is offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​www.skills21.org/ai/learnai  Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course? Check it out here - https://www.skills21.org/social-balance This episode is sponsored by The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. https://www.nextgenmfg.org Links Time to Retire “Podcast” https://tinyurl.com/349cabru Organize Insights with Data Tables https://tinyurl.com/3mas6esk NotebookLM Levels Up Key Feature https://tinyurl.com/cvf3j9m7 ChatGPT Gets Enthusiasm Dial https://tinyurl.com/6eyrykun Deepfake Cyberbullying in Schools https://tinyurl.com/z8cyjmbp Teaching Screenagers Social Media and AI https://tinyurl.com/fscuvyrf Gemini AI Student Contest Winners https://tinyurl.com/377sr4m4 Amazon’s $800K Bet on AI Education https://tinyurl.com/uypb6rct Playlab AI for Action Curriculum https://tinyurl.com/4jxwnxz9 What “AI-Ready School” Really Means https://tinyurl.com/2s4zpfxe Yann LeCun to Aspiring AI Students https://tinyurl.com/ydsnxuf Salesforce Reconsiders LLMs https://tinyurl.com/nbfenrsp AI Denialism https://tinyurl.com/5yzjv5se AI Used To Turn Feathers into Cashmere https://tinyurl.com/y5jmh2wd

    59 min

  7. 12/26/2025

    Signals in the Noise – The Stories That Kept Popping Up on ChatEDU | Ep. 90

    In this episode of ChatEDU (Signals in the Noise – The Stories That Kept Popping Up on ChatEDU), Matt and Liz reflect on 2025’s defining AI themes, invite listener voice memos as ChatEDU nears episode 100, and close with a sharp Bright Byte editorial. Rundown School AI Flags Clarinet as Gun A Florida school locked down after an AI system mistook a student’s clarinet for a rifle. Matt and Liz unpack what happens when AI surveillance gets it wrong. How Students Are Using AI Agents Data from 100M queries shows students use agentic AI for real academic work, not entertainment. Wrong Answers Only Anna Mills sparked a playful thread on AI doing your coursework. Liz shares the best replies and five agentic browser–proof ideas. Portfolio Defense and the Rise of Real Assessment Matt and Liz explore a shift toward student-led defenses, supported by tools like NotebookLM. NotebookLM Chat History The new chat history feature allows students to track AI conversations across devices. NotebookLM May Soon Work Inside Gemini Google may integrate NotebookLM into Gemini, enabling grounded notes in broader chats. AI Literacy for All Majors LSU’s student government is pushing for a free, noncredit AI certificate open to all students. The One-Chatbot Classroom? Niral Shah challenges “one bot per child,” with Matt and Liz pointing to collaborative AI learning instead. AI Storytelling and Student Projects From AI storytellers to student-built health apps, Matt and Liz show what meaningful AI learning looks like. Beneath the Surface Matt and Liz revisit key stories and themes from 2025, with help from Ethan Mollick and their custom NotebookLM. Bright Byte: AI Hype Distracts Us from Important Breakthroughs Flashy AI grabbed headlines, but Margaret Mitchell points to predictive AI as the real progress. Matt and Liz highlight why it matters. Announcements and Sponsor Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday ASCD: https://tinyurl.com/bde652nn - discount code RADDAY30 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zw The Winter Micro-Credential launches in January. Join educators from around the world for a six-week dive into AI literacy, pedagogy, assessment, and ethics. www.skills21.org/ai/micro EdAdvance is offering their Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. ​​www.skills21.org/ai/learnai Interested in Skills21’s FREE social media literacy course? Check it out here - https://www.skills21.org/social-balance The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing is proud to partner with the National Applied Artificial Intelligence Consortium. Join educators at the NAAIC AI Summit: February 19–20, 2026Miami Dade College, Downtown Miami⁠ www.naaic.ai⁠ Listener Call-Out As ChatEDU approaches its 100th episode, Matt and Liz want to hear from you!Send in a short audio message: How has ChatEDU impacted your thinking or work? Email your clip to: chatedu@edadvance.org Links AI Saw a Gun. It Was a Clarinet. https://tinyurl.com/pvaxys3j AI Agents: Early Evidence from Perplexity https://tinyurl.com/mpd6yrx4 Anna Mills: AI Agents Wrong Answers https://tinyurl.com/mvurrtzk 5 AI-Proof Assessment Ideas https://tinyurl.com/5n7eah2v Phillip Alcock on Notebook LM https://tinyurl.com/5xz863u4 NotebookLM rolls out chat history, adds AI Ultra tier https://tinyurl.com/2t4h8u8a NotebookLM Comes to Gemini https://tinyurl.com/47pmxa7b LSU Students Push for AI Education https://tinyurl.com/ytaumrmy Why “One Chatbot per Child” Doesn’t Work https://tinyurl.com/366s3fbc Storyteller Is the Hottest New Job Title https://tinyurl.com/3zmt4y6w “AI Slop” Is Merriam-Webster’s 2025 Word https://tinyurl.com/2s3up4yc Wrapped Prompt https://tinyurl.com/2eaxfy57 Mollick Year in Review https://tinyurl.com/yhw7trav The Shape of AI https://tinyurl.com/ya2a4j6z AI Hype Hides Real Breakthrough hshttps://tinyurl.com/m36udesr

    1h 3m

  8. 12/19/2025

    The College Essay Is Not Dead, AI Just Changed the Rules | Ep. 89

    In this episode of ChatEDU (The College Essay Is Not Dead, AI Just Changed the Rules), Matt and Liz open with cold weather updates, Liz’s book selling out on Amazon, and the viral “six-seven” trend. They run through stories on new AI tools, grant challenges, workplace shifts, and prompt design myths, then go deeper with the founder of College Essay Advisors. A Bright Byte from Harvard highlights AI’s promise in rare disease diagnosis. Story 1: Google Mixboard Goes Full Nano Banana Google’s experimental Mixboard turns brainstorms into slide decks with Nano Banana Pro. Liz tested it by creating fake but convincing ChatEDU merch, raising questions about marketing, classrooms, and deepfake ethics. Story 2: $400K in the Create+AI Challenge Stanford’s Accelerator for Learning is offering $400,000 for AI projects that augment human potential in education. Matt and Liz outline the tracks and deadlines. Story 3: Claude Becomes the Interviewer Anthropic used its chatbot to interview 1,250 professionals, finding excitement about productivity gains alongside growing anxiety about automation and job security. Story 4: The Lonely AI Workplace A follow-up study suggests AI may be replacing people as well as tasks, with chatbots reducing mentorship and collaboration. Story 5: The Role Prompting Myth Gets Busted A Wharton study finds that expert personas do not reliably improve AI accuracy, while clarity and context matter more. Story 6: Arrival Technology and Adaptive Leadership Justin Reich and Jesse Dukes describe generative AI as an arrival technology that is user driven and disruptive in classrooms. Beneath the Surface Liz talks with College Essay Advisors founder Stacey Brook about what matters in college essays in the age of AI. Drawing on two decades of experience, Stacey explains why personal essays still matter and how AI can support brainstorming and confidence without replacing a student’s voice. Bright Byte: AI Helps Diagnose Rare Disease Harvard researchers have introduced POPEVE, an AI model that helped diagnose 30 percent of previously unsolved rare disease cases in a large patient study. By combining evolutionary data and protein modeling, it reduces ancestry bias and offers new hope in genetic medicine. Sponsor This episode is supported by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing.www.nextgenmfg.org Announcements Liz is back from the fall tour. RADDAY30 still works at ASCD for a discount on her book. Follow Liz and Matt on LinkedIn and check out ChatEDU clips on TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. The Winter Micro-Credential cohort launches this January. Join educators from around the world for a six-week dive into AI literacy, pedagogy, assessment, and ethics. EdAdvance is now offering a Middle and High School Student AI Literacy course — email chatedu@edadvance.org to bring it to your district. Interested in Skills21’s free social media literacy course? Check it out here - https://www.skills21.org/social-balance Links In-N-Out Removes “67” After Viral Ordering Trend https://tinyurl.com/2hv3pbvz Google Mixboard Nano Banana Turns Rough Ideas Into Presentations https://tinyurl.com/2du8h47r Create+AI Challenge https://tinyurl.com/49yw3cct What 1,250 Professionals Say About Working With AI https://tinyurl.com/4faxetcv AI is making the workplace lonelier https://tinyurl.com/3x4d32nt Prompting Science Report 4: Expert Personas Don’t Improve Accuracy https://tinyurl.com/2uf44ypr EdTech After ChatGPT https://tinyurl.com/mvm9fy6m Purdue Requires AI for All Undergrads https://tinyurl.com/yk3zf9yr New AI Model Speeds Rare Disease Diagnosis https://tinyurl.com/axhnyy2j Adaptive Leadership on AI and Academic Integrity https://tinyurl.com/etjth9xm Gem Custom Instructions  + use the “listen’ feature and whisper flow https://tinyurl.com/42jcfwrd

    1h 18m
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4.9
out of 5
42 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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