Future Focus | Do I Still Matter? AI, Layoffs, and the Human Skills the Future Still Needs | Week of May 18, 2026

In this deeply reflective episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores the emotional question underneath today’s AI conversation: Do I still matter? Through stories of corporate layoffs, classroom innovation, leadership transformation, and emerging AI practices, she unpacks why the future of work and education depends not just on technical skills, but on preserving human agency, identity, empathy, and meaning.Drawing on research, real-world district examples, and frameworks like SPARK and Clark & Estes’ Knowledge-Motivation-Organization model, this episode challenges listeners to rethink AI not as a replacement for people, but as a tool that amplifies the uniquely human capacities machines cannot replicate. Timestamps00:00 — “No Pure Managers”: AI Restructuring the WorkforceDr. Quidwai examines layoffs at Coinbase, Cisco, LinkedIn, and Microsoft, and asks the deeper emotional question many professionals are silently carrying: Do I still matter?07:00 — Why AI Training Alone Isn’t EnoughIntroduction to the Clark & Estes framework (Knowledge, Motivation, Organization) and why most AI initiatives fail when organizations focus only on tools instead of people.10:00 — What Real AI Literacy Looks Like in SchoolsA powerful classroom example from English teacher David Norenberg shows how students critically evaluated AI outputs rather than simply using or banning the technology.21:00 — The SPARK Framework and Prompting the Human Before the MachineDr. Quidwai explains how empathy, aspirations, and human-centered thinking create stronger AI partnerships and restore motivation and agency.29:00 — What Innovative Schools Are Doing Right with AIReal examples from Wichita Public Schools, Bangor Township Schools, Community High School District 117, Roseville, and Desert Sands Unified show how leaders are redesigning systems, culture, and learning around AI.42:00 — Roald Dahl, AI Writing, and the Fight for Human VoiceA reflection on The Great Automatic Grammatizer explores why human creativity, struggle, and meaning still matter in a world of polished AI-generated content.Resources MentionedCoinbase CEO memo — "Building a Leaner and Faster Coinbase" (the original memo)Cisco confirms 4,000 layoffs despite strong Q3 earnings and $15.8B revenueRead LinkedIn CEO's Internal Memo Announcing LayoffsWhy the 'Middle Path' of AI Literacy May Be the Future of English Class — The 74Your article on Designing Schools — Innovation Gap Analysis: Using the KMO Method in SchoolsClark & Estes (2008) — Turning Research Into Results (ResearchGate) (the original book)Explore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: Join the AI Power Circle and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: Designing Schools - a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: The Future Ready Student AI Playbook a 10-hour course experience to graduate your students AI ready.For questions, email: [email protected]