Episode 3: Prof. Amy J. Ko (University of Washington) — What Kind of Builders Do We Want to Become?

If AI can write code, do kids still need to learn programming? In this episode of Raised by Robots, Nolan talks with Amy J. Ko about a much bigger question: In the age of AI, who gets to be a builder — and who just becomes a user? Amy is a professor at the University of Washington, creator of the multilingual programming platform WordPlay, and co-author of Critically Conscious Computing. The conversation begins with the story of how a slow version of Tetris on a TI-82 calculator pulled Amy into programming in middle school — and expands into a broader discussion about learning, power, creativity, and the future of computing education. Nolan and Amy explore:• Why software engineering is more than just writing code• The difference between digital literacy and understanding how computers actually work• Why most programming languages are designed around English and Western culture• How AI affects different kinds of learners differently• What “self-regulated learning” means in an AI classroom• Why teaching coding only as job preparation may miss the point• Where large language models really come from — including data, labor, energy, and incentives• What questions kids should be asking about AI that adults often are not A conversation about coding that ultimately becomes a conversation about curiosity, responsibility, and what kind of builders we want to become.