Future Focus | The AI Story We Keep Getting Wrong: Why Graduates Are Booing, Hope Is Declining, and Agency Matters More Than Ever | Week of May 26, 2026

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores how the narratives we tell about AI are shaping our perceptions, decisions, and sense of agency. Through stories ranging from a viral Monet experiment to commencement speeches that sparked student backlash, she argues that the real challenge isn't AI itself—it's the stories institutions, leaders, and individuals tell about the future.Drawing from personal experiences navigating economic uncertainty, research on hope, and her work with students and educators, Dr. Quidwai makes the case that agency, pathways, and purpose—not technology—are the foundations of a hopeful future.Timestamps00:00 – The Monet Experiment: When a Masterpiece Was Mistaken for AIA viral social media post reveals how AI narratives are changing our ability to recognize authenticity and shaping what we believe is real.03:00 – Why Graduates Are Booing AI Commencement SpeechesExamining the backlash against AI-focused graduation speakers and what student reactions reveal about fear, uncertainty, and the search for agency.06:00 – The Power of Storytelling: Wozniak, Jensen Huang, and HopeContrasting approaches to talking about AI and why stories rooted in humanity, vulnerability, and purpose resonate more deeply than technology-first narratives.11:00 – The Perfection Problem in EducationHow decades of rewarding perfection have left schools struggling to articulate why human creativity, process, and imperfection matter in the AI era.28:00 – Hope Is a Skill: Goals, Pathways, and AgencyExploring research from C.R. Snyder and Brené Brown that reframes hope as a teachable cognitive process rather than a feeling.36:00 – Students Co-Designing the Future in RosevilleA powerful example of students, educators, and leaders collaborating to define the skills, mindsets, and agency needed to thrive alongside AI.41:00 – The Story You Tell Yourself Shapes Your FutureA personal reflection on resilience, agency, and why changing your narrative can transform what becomes possible.Resources MentionedThe Monet painting experiment — Fortune, Nick LichtenbergGraduates booing commencement speakers — The Verge, Janus RoseSteve Wozniak at Grand Valley State — Futurism, Frank LandymoreJensen Huang CMU Commencement Speech — YouTube"Too Much Is Happening Too Fast" — The Atlantic, Charlie WarzelExplore 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]