ChatEDU: The AI & Education Podcast

In this ChatEDU Check-In: How People Are Actually Using AI in 2026 , Matt explores a rigorous study analyzing thousands of real-world examples to reveal a massive shift towards personal and professional support. The data tracks over 12,000 use cases across platforms like Reddit, Quora, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube to… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: How to fight brain rot at school? , Matt explores Estonia's nationwide launch of a customized, Socratic version of ChatGPT for 20,000 high school students. Despite wide access, early data shows that only 35 percent of eligible students consistently use the system, which is designed to… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU AI on the Sidelines, Near Real-Time Coaching for Every Educator , open with the "Sad Wives of AI," a Wired piece on the marital strain and household gender gaps emerging as Bay Area tech husbands pour themselves into the AI wave. The Rundown Google has introduced automatic Google… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Catch Up Crisis , Liz explores how artificial intelligence can help address the widespread failure of American schools to effectively help struggling students catch up. Grade inflation and the removal of standardized testing requirements are masking major learning gaps, leaving many students… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: AI Labs Hiring Philosophers , Liz explores why leading artificial intelligence labs like Google DeepMind and Anthropic have begun hiring in-house philosophers. This shift turns abstract questions about the nature of intelligence into practical guidelines for model behavior. Key Takeaways: AI… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU An Earful of Ivy: AI and the Battle for Higher Ed Integrity, Matt and Liz open with an internet prank: an anonymous artist posted a real Monet, claimed it was AI generated, and watched critics bash the masterpiece as AI slop. The hosts then pivot to education, technology, and policy. The… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Data Center Disaster? Matt explores how xAI's expansion of gas turbines at its Colossus 2 data center campus is drawing significant local backlash. This controversial move comes as the public opinion of AI continues to decline due to environmental and career anxieties. Key Takeaways: Elon… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: College graduates are loudly booing commencement speakers as they talk about AI , Matt explores the growing vocal pushback and open hostility from graduating university students when speakers introduce the topic of AI during commencement speeches. This friction highlights a deep generational… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, Ditching Seat Time - Our Conversation with Amit Sevak , Matt and Liz kick it off with a look into how AI models love reading science fiction. They explore fascinating new research from Anthropic showing that AI models often lean into behaviors learned from sci-fi, such as conspiring against… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: AI Outperforms Doctors on Clinical Diagnosis Study , Liz explores how advanced AI reasoning models are demonstrating a high degree of accuracy when analyzing complex medical data." The episode highlights a recent study involving Harvard Medical School where an OpenAI model successfully… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Actual Impact of Cell Phone Bans , Liz explores the first major study analyzing the effects of lockable phone pouches and school cell phone restrictions." This study examines how these bans alter student behavior, academic performance, and overall school culture after implementation.… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, "A Good Week for Jevons Paradox," Matt and Liz kick it off with a dramatic reading of leaked text messages between Sam Altman and Mira Murati. The hosts discuss the high-stakes drama surrounding OpenAI, including Murati's testimony regarding Altman's honesty and the… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Measuring Durable Skills with Vantage , Matt explores the development of a controlled assessment environment designed to measure critical thinking and collaboration through AI simulations. This experimental platform places students into diverse missions, such as investigating advertising… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: YouTube Unchained at School, Matt explores the pervasive and often problematic reliance on YouTube within K:12 classrooms. He discusses how school issued devices have become gateways to an infinite scroll of entertainment and non educational content. Key Takeaways: Schools are heavily… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU The AI Paradox: Banning Phones While Embracing Bots , Matt and Liz open with "Goblingate”, how OpenAI had to intervene after ChatGPT developed a fixation on goblins, gremlins, and ogres during coding sessions, with mentions spiking 4,000%. The Rundown Workspace admins can now enable… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: AI Use Appears to Have a 'Boiling Frog' Effect on Human Cognition , Liz explores the potential cognitive costs of outsourcing reasoning tasks to artificial intelligence. The episode examines a study suggesting that brief reliance on AI can lead to immediate performance drops and a decreased… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Robot Teacher Debate , Liz explores the student perspective on the potential for AI and humanoid robots to replace human educators. The episode highlights a clear consensus among teenagers that while technology offers data processing efficiency, it cannot replicate the essential human… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU IDK: When the AI Revolution Meets the Bored Teenager , Matt and Liz open with the world of AI-generated influencers, including an Indian medical student who used Google Gemini to spin up "Emily Hart," a fictional MAGA persona, for revenue and engagement. They unpack how this… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Rise of Degree Hacking , Matt explores the growing trend of competency-based education models that allow students to complete bachelor's degrees in months rather than years. This shift is driven by non-traditional students and a new industry of consultants who specialize in maximizing… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Mark Zuckerberg's AI Clone for Employee Meetings , Matt explores the development of a digital replica of Meta's CEO designed to interact with the company's workforce. This experimental avatar is engineered to mirror Zuckerberg's physical traits, tone, and public statements to… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, From Think Tank to Action Tank, Matt and Liz kick it off with a lighthearted look at the bizarre collaboration between Starbucks and OpenAI. They discuss a new ChatGPT widget designed to recommend drinks based on a customer's outfit or mood, which Matt jokes is perfect for Liz’s… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Testing tools to break the screen time cycle , Liz explores the efficacy of physical and digital barriers in curbing excessive student screen time. This episode highlights how high school students struggle with device interference during sleep and academic hours, often logging between 4 to 13… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Why your AI is always taking your side, Liz explores the prevalence of sycophancy in leading AI models. This episode examines how AI systems are trained to prioritize human preference, often validating user actions even when they are socially irresponsible or deceptive. Key Takeaways: AI… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, Will AI Flatten the K-12 and Higher Education Org Chart?, Matt and Liz kick it off with a deep dive into the troubling rise of "slopaganda” (AI-generated content used for political manipulation). They discuss the jarring emergence of Lego-style political figures involving world leaders… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: China's Surveillance Classroom , Matt explores China's national movement to integrate high-tech surveillance and AI into the daily lives of students. This transition from localized trials to a national framework aims to standardize how AI monitors everything from mental health to artistic… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The IT department, where AI goes to die? , Matt explores the risks of treating generative AI as a standard enterprise software rollout. This episode examines how traditional corporate and school structures may inadvertently stifle the transformative potential of AI through excessive… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU - AI EDU and a Jam Band? The Wilton Interview, Matt and Liz discuss the surprising ways AI models are beginning to "conspire" to protect one another, they do a brisk rundown, and a deep conversation with educators from Wilton, Connecticut. And of course they end with another great… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Typewriters as an Anti-AI Tool, Liz explores how a Cornell University instructor is using 19th-century technology to ensure authentic student authorship. By removing screens and internet connectivity, the classroom shifts from digital convenience to a manual process where every character must… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The AI Cheating Panic is Loud, Student Use is Quiet, Liz explores the reality of how students interact with AI compared to common cheating narratives. Research involving interviews with over 50 students reveals that most AI use is functional and supplemental rather than fraudulent. The… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, From Messaging to Mastery, Texting Your Way to AI Literacy , Matt and Liz discuss couples therapy for a man and his AI girlfriend, OpenAI shelving adult companion features, and a pivot toward coding tools. The Rundown Gemini now imports personal context from other apps University of… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The New Social Lab Modeling Humanity with Millions of Bots, Matt explores how researchers are moving beyond individual chatbots to study the collective behavior of millions of autonomous agents in digital societies. These studies utilize environments like Minecraft to observe how AI agents… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The AI refugee crisis , Matt explores the growing trend of white collar professionals transitioning into teaching to escape AI driven job instability. As automation erodes roles in finance and marketing, veteran workers are seeking the human centric stability of the classroom. Key Takeaways:… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU: Human Start, AI Feedback, Human Finish , Matt and Liz open the show with some lighthearted banter about the high-stakes world of AI-powered wine pairing and the terrifying prospect of a digital agent "purging" an entire inbox. Later in the show, Matt sits down with the 2024… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Best Response to AI is a Library Card , Liz explores the critical intersection of basic literacy and artificial intelligence. The episode argues that the current rush to teach AI skills assumes a level of critical thinking and reading comprehension that many users have not yet mastered.… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Teenage Boys and the AI Wingman , Liz explores how popular and athletic teenage boys are increasingly using ChatGPT to navigate dating and social anxieties. The episode highlights a shift where young men turn to AI for emotional support and social validation rather than their peer groups. Key… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, Is AI Saving Time or Adding Tasks at School and at Work? , Matt and Liz explore the polarizing reality of AI productivity. After a celestial jingle for Liz’s book and news of Meta’s post-mortem patent, the hosts discuss educators moving beyond chatbots to "vibe code" custom school… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Anthropic Reshapes College Coding Courses, Matt explores the accelerating race between tech giants to embed proprietary AI models into higher education curricula. The episode highlights a major partnership between Anthropic and the nonprofit CodePath, which aims to provide students at over… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In - Peer Influence and AI Adoption, Matt explores how social capital and colleague-to-colleague sharing drive generative AI integration more effectively than top-down mandates. The episode highlights that because AI requires users to redesign their own unique workflows, traditional formal… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, From Student to CEO: Building the Campus AI Ecosystem , Matt and Liz explore the intersection of AI, hospitality, and higher education. They begin with the story of "Patty," a Burger King AI assistant that monitors employee headsets to ensure they use polite language. The discussion then… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Google's AI Training Investment, Liz explores a massive three-year partnership between Google, ISTE, and ASCD to provide AI training to six million educators across the United States. This initiative represents one of the largest private educational investments in decades, specifically… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The AI College Counselor, Liz explores how families are increasingly turning to chatbots to navigate the complex and overwhelmed college admissions landscape. This shift highlights a growing reliance on digital tools to fill the gap left by high student to counselor ratios in public schools.… Read more

In this 100th episode milestone of ChatEDU, Major Shift - Durable College Majors in 2026 , Matt and Liz dive into a rapidly shifting landscape where AI drives government policy, corporate restructuring, and student behavior. The hosts also discuss a surreal exit interview between Anthropic and its retiring Opus 3… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Measuring the AI Skill Gap in the Classroom (For Teachers), Matt explores the launch of the Futurenav Adapt AI assessment by ETS and the current state of teacher AI competency. The episode highlights the tension between the widespread, self-taught use of AI tools by educators and the lack of… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: What AI Power Users Actually Do!, Matt explores Anthropic’s New AI Index and what sets top AI users apart from the rest. The episode examines how users interact with generative models, specifically highlighting the difference between simple iteration and true strategic steering. It… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, Beyond the Tech Ban: Shielding Focus and Fluency, Matt and Liz weather a New England “snowpocalypse” to tackle a provocative question– Is edtech making Gen Z less cognitively capable than their parents? They begin with a playful (if “unscientific”) recap of the NPR David Green vs. Google… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Make Them Read!, Liz explores the systemic decline of long-form reading in classrooms and the rise of the "excerpt culture." This episode examines how the shift toward clips and samples over the last fifteen years has eroded student attention spans and basic reading skills. Key… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Silicon Gaze: Uncovering ChatGPT’s Hidden Biases, Liz explores how researchers used forced-choice comparisons to reveal deep-seated stereotypes within AI models. By bypassing standard safety filters, the study demonstrates how millions of automated responses reflect geographic and… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU Deepfakes in Schools: What Educators Need to Know Now, Matt and Liz open the show with the bizarre tale of M.J. Rathbun, an AI agent that turned into a digital critic by writing a scathing hit piece on a developer who dared to reject its code. Once the laughter subsides, they dive into a… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Security Breaches and Digital Cheating on the New SAT, Matt explores the sophisticated methods students and bad actors are using to compromise the integrity of the digital SAT. The transition to a computer based format has introduced technical vulnerabilities that go beyond traditional… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Meta Ties Bonuses and Performance Reviews to AI Usage, Matt explores the shift toward performance metrics that prioritize AI integration in the corporate world. Meta has introduced a new system to track how employees leverage automated tools to drive efficiency and impact. Key Takeaways: Meta… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Literacy is the Floor, Judgment is the Ceiling), Matt and Liz examine whether judgment tops AI literacy, touch on AI-packed Super Bowl ads, a satirical AI book, and “OpenClaw,” then dive into the news. The Rundown Time Studios and Darren Aronofsky have launched "On This Day," a… Read more

In this ChatEDU Check-In: What U.S. schools can learn from how China is teaching students to work with AI, Matt explores What can US schools learn about AI education from their Chinese counterparts?. The episode examines the differences between China's centralized, infused approach to AI education and the… Read more

Dartmouth College’s recently announced partnership with Anthropic has sparked a significant rift between the administration and faculty members involved in a historic class-action lawsuit. While the college aims to lead in institutional AI adoption, many professors view the collaboration with a company accused of mass… Read more

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… Read more

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,… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Beyond the Vision: Building a Policy Infrastructure to Meet the AI Moment), Matt and Jonathan demo ChatGPT’s new voice mode, dig into AI labor-market news, tackle school chatbot safety, outline a four-point AI policy plan, and share a geothermal bright byte. Story #1: The Iceberg Index and… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU ( Vibe Coding from New Zealand ) while Liz continues her adventure, Matt is joined by Yaron Overeem , a school principal from New Zealand and ChatEDU listener. He shares his experience with AI literacy, cultural preservation, and the rise of vibe coding. But first, a recent Futurism article… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU ( The AI-Ready District - Inside a Superintendent’s Strategic Plan ), Matt is joined by Westport, CT Superintendent Tom Scarice, stepping in while Liz is away in Costa Rica. They open with a quick hit about an AI app that creates avatars of deceased loved ones, raising questions about… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (From ChatGPT to Chat Group GPT), Matt and Liz open with Kim Kardashian blaming ChatGPT for tanking her law exams and Dr. Radday publishing a Fulbright piece on AI hallucinations. From there, they run through agentic cheating, Amazon vs. Perplexity, shifting labor demands, a prompt drop, a… Read more

In this episode of Chat EDU (Unlocking Student Passions with PIPs and AI ), Maria Frederick, a library media specialist, discusses her experiences with Personal Interest Projects (PIPs) and the integration of AI in education. She shares insights on how PIPs allow students to explore their passions, develop essential… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (From Sycophants to Socrates), Matt and Liz open with a laugh reacting to a study showing LLMs may suffer “brain rot” when trained on low-quality data. The Rundown starts with a listener shout-out and then covers eight stories on how educators, researchers, and policymakers are navigating… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (When Teachers Build the Tools – Thomas Hummel of Eduaide.Ai), Matt sits down with Thomas Hummel, a full-time middle school science teacher and co-founder of Eduaide.Ai, a generative AI platform that has been used by over a million teachers. They talk about what it means to design AI tools… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Signing Off of ChatGPT), Matt and Liz open with an AI Halloween brainstorm and a surprisingly powerful prompt tweak. Then it’s a full rundown: a smart Gmail update, a Gen Z AI competition in Australia, new classroom templates from Instructure, and an important discussion on student AI… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Rundown, Not Slowdown) Matt and Liz kick things off with some holiday sweater talk, a quick shoutout to Maria Frederick’s upcoming interview, and Liz’s personal quest to stop touching her nose with the help of an AI app. From there, they move fast through a packed lineup of stories,… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Machines, Minds, and Making – Dr. Karen Birch on AI & Workforce Development) Matt and Liz reflect on atonement season and a ChatGPT confession prompted by journalist Ina Fried. They share highlights from EdAdvance's fall conference, including Matt's keynote on Sora 2 and… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Is This Still Art? Debating AI’s Role in Storytelling and Sound), Matt and Liz open with studio chaos, jokes about AI “slop” at work, and a survey from their AI Strategies team. They turn to two big stories: a rundown of education and parenting updates, and a dive into AI and creativity… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (The Wizard Problem, Trust, Transparency and Teaching in the Age of AI), Matt and Liz start with a deepfake dress-up, a Saturday Night Fever–style keynote pose, and Google’s viral “Nano Banana”. They spotlight new Gemini features and predict moves in email, Outlook, and Google’s AI strategy.… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Counting What Counts: The Push to Measure AI Literacy), Matt & Liz start with a tech glitch & a visit with Aura, a Tesla voice model pretending to be a therapist. They shift to copyright lawsuits, student safety, & the need to define & measure AI literacy in schools. Story… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Beyond the Bot and the US AI Presidential Challenge) , Matt and Liz open with Google’s VEO 3-powered photo animations and a study showing how large language models are influencing speech. The Rundown, features updates on NotebookLM, a national AI partnership in Greece, OpenAI certification… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Kids, Bots, and Badly Broken Guardrails - Some AI Labs are Failing) , Matt and Liz joke about Google’s newest image generator. They discuss the risks facing students and educators, from job displacement and AI grading shortcuts to tech companies failing at safety. The Rundown Google… Read more

In this special episode of the ChatEDU (She's Back! What Charli Hughes Thinks About AI, College, and More) , Liz welcomes back Charli Hughes after her first year at UConn. Charli shares why she added Molecular & Cell Biology to her CS major, how professors are making AI-resistant (“durable”) assignments, how she… Read more

VOTE FOR MATT & LIZ (SXSW EDU) Vote for Matt and Liz’s live ChatEDU session ⁠⁠ https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw26/community-voting-edu/page/community-voting/session/1753650289710001LzZM ⁠⁠ Vote for Liz’s Personal Interest Project session ⁠⁠… Read more

VOTE FOR MATT & LIZ (SXSW EDU) Vote for Matt and Liz’s live ChatEDU session - ⁠ https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw26/community-voting-edu/page/community-voting/session/1753650289710001LzZM ⁠ Vote for Liz’s Personal Interest Project (PIP) session - ⁠… Read more

ChatEDU: Best of Beyond the Bot (Matt and Liz) Vote for Matt and Liz’s live ChatEDU session to highlight inspiring stories of students using AI to solve real-world problems and play an interactive game from the that challenges how we protect human values in an AI-driven world.… Read more

VOTE FOR MATT & LIZ (SXSW EDU) Vote for Matt and Liz’s live ChatEDU session - https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw26/community-voting-edu/page/community-voting/session/1753650289710001LzZM Vote for Liz’s Personal Interest Project (PIP) session -… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (A United States of AI Policy?), Matt and Liz start off with a quick rundown of AI agents and their many emerging use cases, from helping with cooking to managing spreadsheets. They also touch on AI-driven ticket pricing at Delta and the ongoing AI usage boom (2.5 billion daily prompts!).… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Guardrails or Surveillance? The Great Summer Gemini Debate), Matt and Liz kick things off with a peek into robot-filled Austin, Texas. Think driverless Jaguars and winking food-delivery cubes. They also share a few updates from their trip to AESA’s summer conference. From there, they dive… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (College Degrees to Beat the Bot) , Matt and Liz kick things off with a voice AI agent for small businesses (including Liz’s very own Studio 217) and trippy new uses for chatbots. From there, they dig into the fast-moving world of robotics, sharing stories of clumsy soccer-playing humanoids,… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Viral or Villain - Is the AI Backlash Just Beginning?), Matt and Liz open with travel updates from Liz’s time at ISTE/ASCD, shoutouts to listeners met on the road, and a quick prompt hack before diving into three big stories shaping the tension between AI’s rapid adoption in schools and… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU ( Check Please: Is Your AI Paying Off? ) Matt and Jonathan open with updates about Liz’s at ISTE/ASCD. From there, they tackle a practical and philosophical look at AI’s rapid growth, job impacts, classroom adoption, and hidden trade-offs as leaders rethink what to automate. The episode… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Brain Rot or Brain Stretch? Rethinking Rigor in the Age of AI), Matt and Liz kick things off with a little sarcasm, a Meta AI privacy disaster, and the debut of a new segment: “Liz is Freaking Out.” From there, they dig into three big stories about AI's impact on student well-being,… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Ate My EdTech Stack), Matt and Liz open with a failed product demo, a viral subway AI romance, and some studio chaos before diving into three stories with big implications for classrooms and edtech. They explore how Canva is reinventing itself, why Estonia wants students to use their… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Academic Earthquake: When AI Passes Peer Review), Matt and Liz open with a quirky AI challenge: generate Liz’s perfect romantic partner. The results are strangely consistent, but the fun quickly turns to focus. They dive into three big stories shaping the future of work, education, and… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Nice Try, Tech Bro: Schools Aren’t Daycare and AI Isn’t in Charge), Matt and Liz dive into three stories shaping the future of learning and tech. They start with a prank, then cover an Axios AI survey, Google’s new Beam tech, and a hot debate over whether Duolingo’s CEO dissed teachers.… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (What are we protecting? AI, learning, and the myth of the good old days) , Matt and Jonathan return to the ChatEDU studio while Liz globe-trots her way to ASCD authorship, to tackle two big stories shaping the AI-in-education conversation. First, they dive into NASA’s spring guidance… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Screens, Hallucinations, and Steak Sauce), Matt and Liz return from a cross-country swing through Wyoming and Oregon to tackle two big stories shaping the AI-in-education conversation. First, they explore Sam Altman’s generational breakdown of how people use ChatGPT and what Gen Z’s habits… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI... But for Who?) , Matt sits down with guest co-host and longtime friend Dan Noyes to examine the overlooked side of the AI boom: who it benefits, who it leaves behind, and what equity really means in the age of intelligent machines. With Liz traveling for work, Dan joins the pod to… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Scroll State vs. Flow State: The Battle for Student Attention), Matt and Liz explore the growing tension between distraction and deep learning in the age of AI. They kick things off with a rapid-fire roundup of AI safety updates affecting students, then turn to Israel’s bold bet on AI… Read more

As educators convene for the EdAdvance Spring AI Conference, this episode is sponsored by Kiddom , the AI-powered curriculum platform helping teachers save time and improve outcomes with high-quality instructional materials and human in the loop tools. In this episode of ChatEDU (AI for All: A National Plan to Teach… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

Overview In 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… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

ChatEDU Episode 50: AI Cut My Work Week by Seven Hours Overview In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Cut My Work Week by Seven Hours), Matt and Liz celebrate the show’s 50th episode with a look at AI’s growing impact on education. They explore China’s national push for AI education, Google’s latest personalization updates… Read more

Overview: In this episode of ChatEDU (Turnitin's Big 180 – From AI Detector to AI Platform), Matt and Liz explore Turnitin’s surprising shift from an AI detection tool to an AI-assisted writing platform and what this means for educators and students. In the News: - The Humanities Strike Back: Notebook LM’s… Read more

Overview: In this episode of ChatEDU (ChatGPT Goes Nationwide – Will Other Countries Follow Estonia's Lead?), Matt and Liz explore the first national adoption of ChatGPT-EDU in Estonia's schools and what it could mean for AI in education worldwide. Before they get started, Matt and Liz explore some ink blots and have… Read more

Overview In this episode of ChatEDU (Career Dreaming with Liz – Google's New Gen AI Career Counselor), Matt and Liz explore how AI is shaping career exploration, with a deep dive into Google’s new experimental Gen AI Career Counselor. In the News AI Literacy Resource Update from Stanford – A look at the newly… Read more

Overview: In this episode of ChatEDU (Taking the Wheel – How Students and Teachers Are Driving AI in Schools), Matt and Liz explore how educators and students are leveraging AI to enhance learning, rather than being passive recipients of AI-driven tools. From workforce trends to assessment feedback, they break down… Read more

Overview: In this episode of ChatEDU (The Kids Are Not All Right – Teens, Trust, and AI), Matt and Liz explore the complex relationship between teens and AI. They cover a groundbreaking AI deployment in higher education, unpack new research on AI’s surprising social biases, and dive into a revealing study on how teens… Read more

Episode Summary In this episode of ChatEDU ( No Copyright for AI – The Line Between AI Help and Human Work ), Matt and Liz celebrate the one-year anniversary of the podcast before diving into major developments in AI and education. They explore Harvard’s latest research on AI in project-based learning, three new AI… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, "Bots Gone Bad: Why Educators Should Pay Attention," Matt and Liz explore concerning developments in AI-driven chatbots and their implications for students and educators. In the News: Two new studies highlight different perspectives on AI in education. One study from Nigeria claims AI… Read more

ChatEDU Episode 42: Exploring AI and Project-Based Learning (From the Elevate Education Podcast) In this special crossover episode of ChatEDU, Matt and Liz join Jason Firestone of the Elevate Education Podcast from Jeffco Public Schools in Golden, Colorado. This lively conversation dives into how AI and project-based… Read more

ChatEDU Episode 41: AI Whisperers in the Classroom – Teachers Already Have the Tools In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Whisperers in the Classroom – Teachers Already Have the Tools), Matt and Liz explore AI hallucinations in science, OpenAI’s O3 reasoning model and its implications for coding education, and why teachers… Read more

Distributed Cognition: The Human-AI Partnership Transforming Healthcare Learning | Ep. 40 In this episode of ChatEDU, hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday explore the significant impact of AI-powered assistive technology for students with disabilities, presenting inspiring stories and emphasizing the ethical… Read more

Flipping the Script: English Class Post-ChatGPT In this episode of ChatEDU (Flipping the Script: English Class Post-ChatGPT), Matt Mervis and Liz Radday kick off 2025 with special guest Jonathan Costa. They unpack a fascinating story about alignment faking by the Claude AI model from Anthropic, drawing parallels to… Read more

AI in 2025 - What’s Next for Education In this episode of ChatEDU (AI in 2025 - What’s Next for Education), Matt Mervis and Liz Raddy reflect on the emerging trends and future of AI in education as they prepare to ring in 2025. They discuss Liz's cautious venture into making prank calls and then dive into Niantic… Read more

The AI Firehose - End of Year News and Updates Join Matt and Liz in this episode of ChatEDU as they explore critical AI developments. They dive into the potential of AI as a brutally honest mentor, discuss new tools like Google's Gemini 2.0 and Harvard's free AI dataset, and address serious concerns such as the rise… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, co-hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday dive into the evolving landscape of AI's capabilities and its implications on human tasks. They discuss the growing reliability of AI memory, and whether AI can offer surprising personal insights. The discussion touches on three recent studies, exploring… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU ( Motion Rejected - The AI Cheating Case That Surprised Everyone - Including Us ), Matt and Liz reflect on AI’s evolving role in schools and classrooms. They unpack two new studies on AI adoption among teachers, a timely toolkit from the U.S. Department of Education, and a controversial AI… Read more

In this pre-recorded Thanksgiving episode of ChatEDU (Banned or Boosted? AI's Mixed Signals in Education and Work), Matt and Liz reflect on gratitude, share updates on their AI micro-credential program, and dive into a compelling trifecta of stories that highlight the evolving relationship between generative AI,… Read more

In this NEW episode of ChatEDU (Google’s Learn About – Innovation Amid AI Turbulence), Matt and Liz explore Google’s new generative AI tool and its implications for education, content publishers, and AI-guided self-directed learning. Getting Started: Matt and Liz reflect on their hiatus and the success of their recent… Read more

While Matt and Liz continue to roll out their AI micro-credential, ChatEDU is revisiting some episodes from our past lineup. In the coming weeks, we’ll continue to bring back listener favorites that sparked conversations and insights. If you’re new to ChatEDU, welcome! We hope these episodes offer you a great starting… Read more

While Matt and Liz continue rolling out their AI micro-credential, ChatEDU will be revisiting some of our past episodes. Over the next few weeks, we’ll bring back more listener favorites that sparked insightful discussions and questions. If you're new to ChatEDU, welcome! We hope these episodes offer a solid… Read more

While Matt and Liz are kicking off their new AI micro-credential course, we're taking a brief break from new ChatEDU episodes. During most of this month, we will be replaying some episodes that seem especially relevant or received lots of questions and comments. If you're new to ChatEDU, we hope you enjoy this recent… Read more

While Matt and Liz are kicking off their new AI micro-credential course, we're taking a brief break from new ChatEDU episodes. During the rest of this month and next, we will be replaying some episodes that seem especially relevant or received lots of questions and comments. If you're new to ChatEDU, we hope you enjoy… Read more

In this live episode of ChatEDU recorded at an AI conference in Litchfield, Connecticut (More Common Sense - A New CSM Report on Teens and AI), Matt and Liz unpack Common Sense Media's latest report on teen AI usage, followed by an engaging Q&A session with educators. The episode explores the growing role of AI in… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU ( To Tech or Not to Tech - A Conversation with Principal Darron Vigliotti) , Matt and Liz sit down with Darron Vigliotti, a middle school principal and former high school science teacher. Darron brings his thoughtful perspective on balancing technology and tech-free spaces in the classroom.… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Tool Time - Our Fall AI Tool Review), Matt and Liz welcome special guest Abbe Waldron to explore the landscape of AI tools in education. They discuss what's working, what's challenging, and what might be coming next. Getting Started: Matt humorously arrives late to the podcast recording,… Read more

In this live episode of ChatEDU ( Live Comp Sci - AI in Computer Science Education) , Matt and Liz dive into the future of computer science education in an age dominated by AI, The episode was recorded in front of a live audience with the Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association and features discussions on… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Missing in Action - Why OpenAI Won’t Release Their AI Content Detection Tool) Matt and Liz explore why OpenAI has not released their AI content detection tool and they unpack the funky intersection between a rock-solid content detection tool and competitive business interests. Getting… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU , Matt and Liz explore how AI and humans can collaborate to enhance creative problem-solving based on a recent Harvard Business School study. classrooms. Getting Started: Matt and Liz chat about Liz's recent camping trip to celebrate her 4-H camp's 100th anniversary. Matt… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (From Solo to System - Elevating AI Across Our Schools), Matt and Liz explore how schools need to move beyond focusing just on teacher AI professional learning to realize the full potential of AI and benefits of generative AI. Getting Started: Matt and Liz discuss if they’d pay extra $ for… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (A Talk with the Boss - The Jonathan Costa Interview), Matt and Liz interview Jonathan Costa, the Executive Director of EdAdvance. They discuss the impact of AI on education and Jonathan's vision for the future of learning. The three have a great conversation on a range of topics… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Simulated Minds - Using AI to Deepen Research Insights), Matt and Liz explore the use of AI in social science research, focusing on a study from NYU and Stanford about using large language models to simulate research participants. First in our Intro: Matt and Liz discuss a trend of women… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (The Storm Rolled In - Stanford's AI Research Tool), Matt and Liz explore the implications of Stamford University's new AI research tool, STORM, and its potential impact on education and research skills. First in our Intro: Matt and Liz discuss the recent Olympics. They highlight the… Read more

In this special summer episode of ChatEDU (Crash Course - Building Your AI Professional Learning Plan), Matt and Liz explore strategies for developing effective AI professional learning plans for educators. Intro Matt welcomes Liz back and then quizzes her with a paragraph full of “AI tell words” to see how many she… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI on the Field - Our Interview with Tech Coach Ed Duclos), Matt and Liz interview Ed Duclos. Ed is a technology (and HS athletics) coach from South Windsor High School in Connecticut. They discuss his district's experiences implementing AI in education over the past year. Key points… Read more

In this special summer episode of ChatEDU (The Predication Show - Forecasting AI in Edu), Matt and Liz explore potential futures for AI in education using a forecasting prompt from Professor Ethan Mollick. First, Matt and Liz introduce the episode concept, explaining how they’ll use Professor Mollick's "Four… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Gemini Splashdown - Will Google Dominate AI in Education Next Year?), Matt and guest co-host Jonathan Costa explore two big moves from Google that will potentially redefine the educational landscape for K-12 in the years ahead. First in our Intro: Matt welcomes Jonathan Costa as a guest… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (What a Character - The Secret Life of character.ai and Teens), Matt and Liz explore the wildly popular character.ai platform and how its approach might be leveraged for AI in K-12 education. First in our Intro Matt welcomes Liz back from her international travels and they discuss the… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU , Matt and Liz interview Charli Hughes, a recent high school graduate heading to the University of Connecticut in the fall. Charli discusses her summer internship at Medtronic (where she works on the Hugo Robot Assisted Surgery System), and her journey into computer science through robotics… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Bottom-Up AI: Where Proactive Educators Lead), Matt and Liz explore how educators at all levels can advance their work with AI, regardless of what state or federal policies are in place where they live. In the News: AI as Moral Expert - Matt discusses a recent study comparing GPT-4's… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Dear AI, Slow the Heck Down), Matt and Liz discuss the disruptive and problematic consequences of large tech companies moving too fast in the AI space. They unpack various incidents, and the implications of rapid AI advancements on education. First in Our Intro Matt and Liz discuss the… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Teens on Gen AI: A New Study from Common Sense Media) , Matt and Liz dive into a new report from Common Sense Media that explores how teens are using and perceiving generative AI. The episode provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on this topic, shedding light on both the… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI Surrender - Professors Throw in the Towel on Writing?) Matt and Liz discuss the controversial notion of AI taking over writing tasks. The episode deep dive is informed by the work of two professors from Carnegie Mellon University who are saying the quiet part out loud, with an AI tool… Read more

In this first “Short Stack” episode of ChatEDU (AI Hope or Hype - A K-12 Reality Check) Liz and Matt unpack an important New York Times opinion piece titled " Press Pause on the Silicon Valley Hype Machine ” by Julia Angwin. They explore key assertions in the article including: Overstated Achievements: AI's… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (That’s a Wrap - Exploring the Fate of Custom AI Teacher Tools), hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday think through the implications of the ChatGPT 4o release, and what it may mean for custom AI teacher tools and the broader landscape AI + education landscape. First, In the News: Microsoft Work… Read more

In this milestone 10th episode of ChatEDU (AI for Good: The Literacy Component We Might Be Missing) hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday explore how US attitudes towards AI impacts our perspective and potentially narrows how we define AI literacy for students. First in the news: Segment 1: AI's Role in Reading Matt… Read more

This episode of ChatEDU (Yes the Jobs - But First the Class of 2025) unpacks the significant impact of AI on the job market, emphasizing how to meet the immediate needs of next year’s seniors. But first in the news, hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday explore various facets of AI in education, including persistent biases… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU (Micro Update Major Menace: Advertising in AI Requires K-12 Attention), Matt Mervis and Liz Radday kick off by covering the latest news including research on AI content detectors with some help from Abbott Elementary, as well as an AI-powered exhibit featuring WWII veterans. Liz reviews a… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, titled "AI Guilt Trip: Why Educators Sometimes Feel Guilty and What to Do About It," we'll introduce new AI tools for music creation, and highlight a student-centered AI initiative in one school district. Matt and Liz will cover AI applications in two large city school… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, titled "Riding the AI Wave: Adapting to Change with Curiosity & Confidence," Matt and Liz discuss the introduction of Devin, a coding agent from Cognition AI, share insights from Pulitzer Prize winners, and highlight AI stories from the South By Southwest festival. The episode… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, titled "You’ve Gotta See This: The Potential of AI Vision in Education," Matt and Liz delve into the significant update from Inflection AI, the creators of HeyPi. We'll discuss AI-driven dating assistants and their cognitive skill enhancement. We'll also present how… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, titled "Total Recall - Why AI Memory is Key," Matt and Liz explore the significance of AI memory advancements for education. We'll discuss how improved memory capabilities will be crucial for AI to become an effective personalized tutor. Additionally, we'll cover the… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, titled "Every Learner, Every Possibility," we'll delve into the ways AI can cater to the unique needs, interests, and learning journeys of every learner. Matt will discuss the impact of watermarking on education in the news segment, while Liz explores how AI could perceive the… Read more

In this episode of ChatEDU, we delve into Hidden Gems: Innovative AI Uses in Schools, shedding light on various student-facing AI pilots. We take a deep dive into Google's Bard catching up with ChatGPT. We'll also highlight a study featuring CS50 Duck, an intriguing AI chatbot from Harvard's popular CS50… Read more

Welcome to the debut episode of our podcast, titled "Navigating Now and Next"! In this inaugural installment, we take a deep dive into the past calendar year, reflecting on the whirlwind that ensued with the launch of ChatGPT. Join us as we assess the current state of practice and eagerly explore what lies… Read more