Designing Schools

While many headlines claim Gen Z is using AI as a "cheat code" to avoid hard work, 17-year-old developer Olivia is proving that the opposite is true. In this episode of The Spark Effect, we debunk the narrative that technology is eroding critical thinking by going behind the scenes with a high school senior who isn't just "adopting" AI, she’s fluent in it. From teaching herself Python during the 2020 lockdowns to building AI-driven platforms like Teen Civics and NOVA, Olivia shares how she uses AI agents to offload menial tasks so she can engage with more complex subjects at a deeper level. Join us to discover why "building in public" on LinkedIn gave her a four-year head start on her career and how she’s mastering the "meta-skill" of learning how to learn in an era of infinite technological change.Connect with Olivia

Stop telling young people to wait for the future, they are already building it. In this premiere of "The Spark Effect" series, high school senior, author, and entrepreneur Eme Williams shares how "baby steps" in the real world built the confidence she never found in a classroom lecture.As AI begins to automate traditional schoolwork, this conversation explores how to nurture the "Human Advantage" the empathy, judgment, and creativity that machines simply cannot replace. Whether you're an educator looking to move beyond traditional grading or a student ready to claim your voice, learn how to turn everyday learning into a powerful digital portfolio and why the best way to prepare for 2026 is to start doing meaningful work today.Connect with Eme Williams

Jacob Kantor was the number one sales rep everywhere he went - McGraw Hill, LAUSD, Varsity Tutors, Revolution Prep. He could have kept doing that forever. Instead, he created JK K12 Consulting and gave himself a title nobody had ever heard of: Chief DODO, which stands for District Office Door Opener.In this episode, we dig into what it actually took to design a career from scratch, why the best first meeting is one where you never mention the product, what the post-ESSER trust gap looks like from someone who sits between EdTech companies and district leaders every day, and how he built a weekly practice of giving people their flowers publicly on LinkedIn that changed everything.If you're a school or district leader, this conversation shows you what trust-building looks like from the other side of the table. If you're someone thinking about designing your own path instead of following a traditional one, Jacob's story is proof that it's possible, and that the messy middle is part of it.Dr. Sabba Quidwai is the CEO of Designing Schools and author of "Designing Schools: How Design Thinking Makes YOU Irreplaceable in the Age of AI." She works with schools and districts worldwide to help educators thrive in an AI-powered world.Jacob Kantor's website: https://thejacobkantor.comJacob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejacobkantor

Drawing on Microsoft's new Preparing Students for the Future of Work report, Dr. Sabba Quidwai challenges the common narrative that AI is replacing workers. Instead, she argues that AI is eliminating traditional entry-level tasks and accelerating graduates into roles that require judgment, leadership, and decision-making from day one. Through examples from workforce research, organizational change, and personal stories about AI use, she explores why schools must redesign learning experiences to prioritize human skills, visible thinking, and frameworks like SPARK and WISE that help people partner effectively with AI. Timestamps00:00 – Everyone Got a PromotionIntroduction to Microsoft's latest workforce report and the idea that AI isn't eliminating jobs—it's removing traditional entry-level work and elevating expectations for new graduates. 05:00 – The New Fundamentals: Context Engineering and VoiceExploration of the emerging workforce skills employers need most, including organizing context for AI systems and developing a distinct human voice that stands out in an AI-generated world. 09:30 – What Laundry Teaches Us About AIA historical look at how technology shifts work rather than eliminating it, using the evolution of laundry and household technologies as a powerful analogy for today's AI transformation. 11:00 – The Behavior Gap and Losing Your VoiceLessons from Canva's AI learning initiative and Amy Blankson's personal story reveal why AI adoption challenges are often human and organizational, not technological. 18:30 – The SPARK Framework: Prompt the Human FirstA deep dive into the SPARK framework and how educators can redesign learning experiences by clarifying the Situation, Problem, Aspiration, and Results before involving AI. 22:00 – Stop Policing AI, Start Designing Better WorkWhy leading organizations and universities are shifting away from AI detection and toward assignments that make reasoning, judgment, and human thinking visible. Resources MentionedMicrosoft, 2026 Work Trend Index (the 67/32 stat): Work Trend Index: Microsoft’s latest research on the ways we work.IU Kelley AI Playbook for Faculty (detectors, defensible work): kelley.iu.edu/Kelley_AI_Playbook.pdfRob Giglio / Canva, Fortune (the behavior gap): We gave our 5,000 employees a week to do nothing but learn AI. We learned the biggest blockers are human onesAmy Blankson, Confessions of a Writer Who Used Too Much AI: Confessions of a Writer Who Used Too Much AIHBR, How to Move from AI Experimentation to AI Transformation (the 90% / INSEAD-Harvard study): How to Move from AI Experimentation to AI TransformationExplore 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]

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]

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]

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores the growing challenges facing today’s graduates as AI, economic instability, and outdated educational systems collide. Drawing from Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index, historical research on the digital divide, and real-world examples from business and education, she argues that the real issue is not access to AI tools, but whether young people have guides, systems, and learning environments that help them see opportunity instead of fear. Through frameworks like SPARK, backwards design, and design thinking, this episode challenges educators and leaders to redesign learning experiences, organizational systems, and community partnerships so students can build a meaningful human advantage in an AI-driven world.Timestamps00:00 – The “Cursed Generation” and the Broken Promise of StabilityDr. Sabba reflects on the difficult realities facing new graduates and introduces the tension between individual grit and systemic barriers in today’s workforce.03:45 – Microsoft’s Work Trend Index and the 67% ProblemA deep dive into Microsoft’s latest findings showing that organizational systems matter twice as much as individual effort when it comes to successful AI adoption.10:15 – The Digital Divide We Never SolvedRevisiting Paul Atwell’s research on the “digital use divide” and why schools still struggle to redesign learning tasks instead of simply adopting new technology.17:30 – The Guidance Divide and Why Relationships Matter MostExamples from Mark Cuban, college students building AI-powered tools, and school leaders reveal that access to mentors and guidance may now matter more than access to technology itself.21:45 – Four Strategies Schools Can Start Using ImmediatelyPractical frameworks for redesigning learning, partnering with businesses, creating AI-safe experimentation cultures, and focusing on workflows instead of tools.28:00 – Story, System, Strategy: Designing Schools for an AI FutureDr. Sabba outlines how districts and schools can move beyond isolated innovation toward sustainable organizational transformation.Resources MentionedMicrosoft 2026 Work Trend Index Annual Report - Agents, Human Agency, and the Opportunity for Every OrganizationWiggins & McTighe, Understanding by DesignThe Cursed Generation -  Ryu Spaeth Mark Cuban on Big Technology Podcast Hey Dad! We Built an App - AxiosExplore 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]

This episode explores the overwhelming pace of AI advancements and the anxiety it creates, arguing that the real solution isn’t chasing every new tool but building intentional systems. Through stories from educators and students, Dr. Sabba highlights the growing gap between how AI is used in schools versus the real world—and why designing thoughtful frameworks for learning is more critical than ever.Timestamps00:00 – AI Overload & The Stress ResponseOpenAI’s new agent features spark widespread panic and highlight the emotional toll of constant tech updates.03:00 – Systems Over ToolsWhy reacting to every AI update is unsustainable—and how having a system changes everything.05:30 – A Student’s AI DilemmaJoey’s story reveals confusion around ethical AI use and the lack of clear guidance in education.10:00 – Schools vs. RealityEducators revert to paper-based methods while the workforce accelerates toward AI fluency.12:00 – Beneficial vs. Detrimental AI UseNew research introduces “cognitive offloading” and how AI can either support or weaken thinking. Resources MentionedNYT - Dana Goldstein - How AI Killed Student Writing and Revived ItMedium - Joey and Devon - AI Literacy is the New Digital DivideCNBC & Handshake — Entry-level jobs calling for AI skills nearly doubled from a year ago, says reportUTS Cognitive Offloading - Artificial intelligence, cognitive offloading and implications for educationRAND - More Students Use AI for Homework, and More Believe It Harms Critical ThinkingOpenAI Workspace Agents - Introducing workspace agents in ChatGPTOpen app - Open: Nervous System ResetExplore 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]

This episode unpacks the recurring cycle of adopting, blaming, and retreating from new technologies in education—highlighted by LAUSD’s recent screen restrictions. Dr. Sabba Quidwai argues that the real issue isn’t technology itself, but the failure to redesign learning experiences and build systems that empower educators and students. From classrooms to workplaces, the message is clear: without agency and intentional design, new tools only reinforce old problems.Timestamps00:00 – LAUSD’s Screen Ban AnnouncementA major policy shift sparks debate: banning screens for young learners and limiting usage for others.00:02 – The Real Problem Isn’t the TechnologyHistorical pattern: adopt → disappoint → blame → remove. The issue lies in task design, not devices.00:05 – A Personal Story of Transformation with TechHow reimagining a task—not just using a tool—changed teaching practice and career trajectory.00:10 – The Digital Use Divide ExplainedEqual access doesn’t mean equal learning; how students use technology determines outcomes.00:16 – AI in the Workplace: Same Mistake, New ContextResearch shows organizations succeed with AI only when they rethink workflows, not just adopt tools.00:23 – From Literacy to AgencyWhy teaching tools isn’t enough—true impact comes from empowering people to use them meaningfully.Resources MentionedLAUSD Screen Time Policy Details — EdSourceReese Witherspoon Confronts AI Backlash — VarietyMeta Keystroke Tracking — TechCrunchAttewell — The First and Second Digital Divides (ERIC)Employers Struggle to Find Graduates with AI Skills — Higher Ed DiveMapping AI into Production — INSEAD/Harvard (SSRN)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: Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai challenges the dominant narrative that AI is eroding students’ ability to think, arguing instead that the real issue is a lack of human agency in how technology is used. Drawing on new research, workplace trends, and classroom insights, she reveals how students and workers alike are struggling not with AI itself, but with systems that fail to empower them. The episode offers a powerful reframe—and practical strategies—for designing learning and work environments that prioritize agency, empathy, and intentional AI use.Timestamps[00:00:00] The Cognitive Offloading Debate BeginsReflections from education conferences and the growing concern that students are “outsourcing” their thinking.[00:03:00] It’s Not a Thinking Problem—It’s an Agency ProblemWhy disengagement predates AI and what research reveals about student experience.[00:05:00] The AI Frontier Is Moving Faster Than We RealizeAnthropic’s unreleased model and what it signals about the future students are entering.[00:10:00] Gen Z’s Emotional Reality with AINew data shows rising anxiety, anger, and lack of control despite widespread usage.[00:14:00] The Classroom Insight That Changes EverythingStudents aren’t cheating—they’re using AI for feedback, but without the framework to evaluate it.[00:18:00] When Agency Is Missing, People Push BackWhy 44% of Gen Z workers are actively sabotaging AI in the workplace.[00:26:00] Five Shifts to Move from Compliance to AgencyPractical strategies for educators, leaders, and parents to redesign AI integration.Resources MentionedLumina/Gallup Gen Z AI Sentiment ReportGen Z Workers Sabotaging AI RolloutsAnthropic Claude Mythos - Project GlasswingRyan Roslansky & Aneesh Raman - Open to Work: How to Get Ahead in the Age of AIExplore 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: Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: [email protected]

This episode explores the tension between fear and opportunity in the age of AI, drawing parallels from history to show that technological disruption is not new—but our response to it matters more than ever. Through real-world examples from Oracle, Stanford research, and student behavior, the conversation highlights a critical truth: success with AI depends less on the technology itself and more on how we invest in people, redesign systems, and build human agency.Timestamps00:00 – A Story from 1920s MadridA powerful reflection on telephone operators and how past generations faced automation—reminding us that technology evolves, but human value endures.05:00 – Oracle’s Layoffs & Leadership FailureA case study of what happens when organizations prioritize infrastructure over people, including the controversial 6:00 AM layoff emails.07:30 – What Successful AI Adoption Actually Looks LikeInsights from Stanford’s Enterprise AI Playbook reveal that the biggest challenges aren’t technical—they’re human.12:30 – Students, AI, and the Critical Thinking CrisisNew data shows students are using AI more while simultaneously believing it harms their thinking—highlighting a gap in guidance and frameworks.16:00 – Building Agency: The Real Competitive AdvantageExamples from LinkedIn and KPMG demonstrate how organizations are investing in human skills, experimentation, and AI fluency.Resources MentionedHadiya Quidwai, "They Called It Automation Too," SubstackJensen Huang on the Lex Fridman Podcast (#494) | April 2026Pereira, Graylin & Brynjolfsson, "The Enterprise AI Playbook: Lessons from 51 Successful Deployments," Stanford Digital Economy Lab, April 2026Schwartz & Diliberti, "More Students Use AI for Homework, and More Believe It Harms Critical Thinking," RAND Corporation, 2026Hanson & Shroff, "AI Adoption Isn't the Hard Part, It's Building Employee Agency," Fortune, 2026Explore 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 innovationFor questions, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores why the biggest barrier to effective AI adoption isn’t the technology—it’s the lack of systems and mindset. Drawing parallels to the iPad rollout in education, she explains how history is repeating itself and why a “mobile mindset” is essential for success in an AI-driven world. The episode challenges listeners to shift from tool usage to intentional design in order to unlock real transformation.Timestamps:00:03:00 – The rise of “AI slop” and why generic outputs are getting worse, not better00:08:00 – AGI debate and what it actually means for everyday professionals00:11:00 – AI agents that can control your computer and why systems matter more than ever00:19:00 – The 2014 iPad story and the origin of the “mobile mindset”00:25:00 – Research reveals why experienced AI users outperform beginnersResources Mentioned:Free Masterclass: From AI Slop to AI Systems - Join Us LiveAnthropic Economic Index: Learning Curves ReportLex Friedman Interviews Jensen HuangInstructure Canvas Introduces AI AgentsUSC - Students Share Experience with iPadsExplore 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: Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: [email protected]

This episode explores the accelerating pace of AI and the growing gap between those building with it and those still trying to regulate it. Through real-world incidents at Meta and insights from Morgan Stanley and Harvard Business Review, the episode reveals how outdated habits and shallow strategies are leaving organizations unprepared. The message is clear: success with AI requires deep understanding, intentional design, and a shift from compliance to capability-building.Timestamps[00:00:00] – The Hidden Risk of Not Understanding AIWhy lacking technical fluency creates vulnerability—and how even simple interactions with AI can expose it.[00:02:00] – AI Is Accelerating Faster Than ExpectedMorgan Stanley’s warning and GPT advancements signal a major leap in capability across industries.[00:05:30] – Meta’s AI Failures: A Warning to EveryoneTwo major incidents reveal how even top AI experts struggle to control agent behavior and prevent data leaks.[00:10:00] – The “Last Mile Problem” in AI AdoptionHarvard research shows organizations are stuck—not because of technology, but due to people, processes, and identity.[00:14:00] – Three Habits Holding Us Back from AI ReadinessThe traffic light model, “act like an expert” prompting, and tool-based strategies are limiting real progress.Resources MentionedMorgan Stanley Research ReportMeta AI agent causes large sensitive data leak to employeesThe 'Last Mile' Problem Slowing AI TransformationAnthropic Research, 2026: What 81,000 People Want from AIDr. Mike Perkins, LinkedIn post on the AI Assessment Scale remix🤝 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: Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career to equip your school community with future-ready skills.Explore More from Designing SchoolsFor questions, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores a growing divide in the AI era—one that goes beyond access or basic use of technology. Drawing from new research reports and a personal story of learning to use AI tools beyond the chat interface, she introduces the idea of an “agentic divide,” where the real gap lies in who understands what’s possible with AI and who doesn’t. The conversation challenges educators, parents, and policymakers to move beyond bans and toward preparing young people with the mindset, vocabulary, and agency needed to thrive alongside AI.Timestamps00:00 – The Moment of Fear in Front of a TerminalDr. Quidwai shares a personal story about staring at a blank terminal window for two months, revealing the emotional barrier many people feel when confronting new AI technologies.03:00 – What the Latest Research Says About Teens and AIInsights from Pew Research show that more than half of teens are already using AI chatbots for schoolwork, often without guidance from adults.07:00 – Families Are Split on AI in EducationFindings from Common Sense Media reveal a growing divide between parents and students, with young people seeing AI as innovative while many parents view it as unethical in schoolwork.11:00 – AI and the Changing Job MarketAn Anthropic report highlights how AI is reshaping the labor market, especially impacting entry-level jobs while increasing productivity among experienced professionals.18:00 – The “Agentic Divide” and Why It MattersDr. Quidwai introduces a new framework for understanding the AI gap—not just access or usage, but awareness of what AI can actually enable.Resources MentionedPew Research Center — How Teens Use and View AI Common Sense Media — The Dawn of the AI Era: Teens, Parents, and the Adoption of Generative AI at Home and SchoolAnthropic — Labor Market Impacts of AI: A New Measure and Early Evidence New York Times — Coding After Coders: The End of Computer Programming as We Know It 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to new student experience⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

This episode explores three major AI developments—from massive tech layoffs to Pentagon AI contracts—and asks a critical question: Who has agency in an AI-driven world? Dr. Sabba Quidwai reframes the conversation from “AI vs. humans” to a new model of collaboration where success depends on how well people can work with and direct AI systems. The episode challenges educators and leaders to rethink skill development for a future where humans orchestrate intelligent tools rather than compete against them. Timestamps00:00 — A 4,000-Person Layoff That Shocked the Tech WorldJack Dorsey’s company Block cuts 40% of its workforce despite record profits, citing AI-driven productivity and smaller, highly skilled teams.00:03 — What “Agency” Means to Students and EducatorsA workshop with students, teachers, and administrators reveals how people still define agency as purely human decision-making—without considering AI collaborators.00:08 — The Rise of AI-Powered WorkplacesCompanies like Shopify, Salesforce, and Amazon begin restructuring teams around AI tools, signaling a major shift in how organizations measure talent and productivity.00:19 — The Missing Piece in Today’s Skills FrameworksA new Carnegie report on collaboration, communication, and critical thinking overlooks a key reality: many of these skills now involve interacting with AI agents.00:28 — AI Ethics and the Pentagon: Anthropic vs. OpenAIA conflict over military AI use highlights how human values and judgment will shape how powerful AI systems are deployed.Resources MentionedCarnegie Skills ProgressionAnthropic and Department of War UpdatesOpenAI Agreement with Department of WarExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to new student experience⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

AI is no longer a question of “if” but “who is doing it well.” In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores the growing divide between power users and passive users, why direction—not technology—is the defining skill of 2026, and how design thinking, the HIRE framework, and the SPARK method can help you build high-performing human + AI teams. The future belongs to those who can make their skills legible, lead with clarity, and design their response to change instead of reacting to it.Timestamps[00:00] The Foundation: Why Design Thinking Still WinsWhat makes great teams thrive—curiosity, clarity, iteration—and why those same principles now apply to human + AI collaboration.[00:04] The Productivity Surge & The Power User DivideNew research reveals rising productivity, shrinking payrolls, and the growing gap between those who direct AI with precision and those who use it passively.[00:08] The Three Phases of AI at WorkFrom personal AI assistants to human-agent teams to fully agent-operated workflows—why we’ve entered Phase Three faster than expected.[00:13] Making Skills Legible in the Agent EraWhy vague skills like “communication” aren’t enough—and how defining the sequence, standards, and why behind your work creates an edge.[00:24] The HIRE & SPARK Frameworks + The 30-Day ChallengeA practical roadmap for onboarding AI agents, building domain-specific workflows, and launching a meaningful project that compounds your value.Resources MentionedZillow Uses NotebookLMThe AI Productivity Takeoff is Finally RealInterview with Boris Cherny - Creator and Head of Claude CodeThe End of the Office By Andrew YangExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to new student experience⁠⁠⁠⁠For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

This week feels like a turning point. From AI models helping build themselves to groundbreaking research on metacognition in schools and adaptive capacity in the workforce, the message is clear: AI isn’t just changing tasks, it’s reshaping purpose. The real question isn’t whether AI will disrupt work and learning, but whether we will intentionally design the future alongside it.Timestamps[00:00] – Move 37 & The Honest Version of AIThe story of AlphaGo’s legendary “Move 37” sets the stage for Matt Schumer’s viral article explaining how far AI has truly advanced—and why most people underestimate it.[00:17] – Teaching Kids to Think (Nord Anglia + Boston College Study)A two-year global study shows significant growth in critical thinking, curiosity, and compassion when students are explicitly taught metacognition through visible thinking routines.[00:27] – Who Can Actually Adapt? (Brookings Study)6.1 million U.S. workers face high AI exposure and low adaptive capacity—86% of them women—raising deeper concerns about equity, identity, and intentional workforce design.[00:32] – When AI Makes Work Harder (Harvard Business Review)Research reveals that enthusiastic AI adoption can intensify work, blur boundaries, and increase cognitive load—unless leaders design intentional norms and pauses.[00:37] – The Bigger Question: Where Will Meaning Come From? As AI takes on more structured tasks, the real design challenge becomes human purpose, relationships, and connection in an AI-driven world.Resources MentionedSomething Big is Happening - Matt SchumerTeaching the Skills AI Can’t Replace - Nord Anglia Measuring US Workers Capacity to Adapt - Brookings InstituteAI Doesn’t Reduce Work - It Intensifies It - HBR🤝 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.Explore More from Designing SchoolsFor questions, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai reunites with educator and AI thinker Stefan Bauschard for a wide-ranging conversation on artificial intelligence, agency, and the future of learning. Together, they explore AI agents, the decline of traditional schooling models, and why developing human agency, not just technical skills is becoming the most critical priority for education and society.Timestamps00:03:00 – Reading, Thinking, and Becoming a GeneralistStefan explains why reading comprehension, synthesis, and discernment matter more than memorization in a rapidly changing world.00:07:00 – AI Agents, ClawBot, and Distributed IntelligenceA breakdown of AI agent communities, what they are, why they matter, and how they signal a shift toward autonomous, collaborative systems.00:14:00 – Is AI Conscious or Just Trained on Data?Sabba and Stefan discuss perception vs. reality, why belief matters more than technical definitions, and how people will relate to AI regardless.00:24:00 – Agency, Schools, and the Human AlgorithmA deep dive into why schools often suppress agency, how this creates long-term consequences, and why the “age of agency” is here.00:40:00 – Davos, AI, and the Missing Conversation in EducationReflections on Davos 2025, global AI readiness, and why education lacks an equivalent forum for meaningful instructional redesign.Resources MentionedNAEP Scores DropWhat is OpenClaw and MoltbookStefan Bauschard’s Education Disrupted SubstackExplore 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]⁠

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai reflects on a story about Sri Lankan tea to explore how intention, design, and human judgment matter more than tools alone, especially in an AI-driven world. Drawing from insights by leaders at Anthropic, OpenAI, and education research, the episode challenges schools to move beyond banning or blindly adopting AI and instead redesign learning so humans and AI work together thoughtfully.Timestamps00:00–03:00 — A story from Sri Lanka: Dilmah tea, intention, and resisting commoditization05:00–09:00 — The “adolescence of technology” and why AI power is outpacing our systems of judgment09:30–13:30 — An NPR classroom story and the real problem with “going analog”16:00–19:00 — Introducing the SPARK framework and redesigning tasks for human–AI collaboration20:00–26:00 — Sam Altman, judgment, and why high agency matters more than technical skillsResources MentionedDario Amodei Essay: The Adolescence of TechnologyOpenAI Town HallWhy AI Can’t Make DecisionsThe Story of Ceylon TeamakerExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠Link to new student experience⁠⁠⁠For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In this episode of Designing Schools, Dr. Sabba Quidwai reflects on her recent keynote at Shanghai American School, where students showcased real-world applications of AI, decision-making, and entrepreneurial thinking. She connects these powerful examples to emerging research from Anthropic and Stanford, revealing how AI mirrors human capability and why fostering critical thinking and initiative is more urgent than ever.Timestamps[00:00:00] Students Are Ready—Now, Not LaterReflections on student agency at Shanghai American School and how young people are already solving real problems using AI and global partnerships.[00:04:00] What the Data Tells Us: AI Mirrors Human ThinkingInsights from Anthropic’s Economic Research Index revealing AI’s dependence on user input quality and education levels.[00:08:00] Why Most People Don’t Use AI EffectivelyStanford’s Jeremy Utley explains the real barrier to AI use—imagination and modeling, not fear or lack of access.[00:12:00] Introducing the Spark Prompting FrameworkDr. Quidwai shares her human-centered approach to AI collaboration, emphasizing clarity and empathy over clever syntax.[00:18:00] Leadership in a Time of Unstoppable ChangeReflections from Davos and why education systems must invest in human capability, not wait for tools to stabilize.[00:21:00] Why Entrepreneurial Thinking Is No Longer OptionalA call to embed entrepreneurship into core learning, not as an elective, but as essential preparation for an AI-driven world.Resources MentionedSpark Prompting Framework Guide + 50 PromptsAnthropic Economic Research IndexJeremy Utley, Stanford – AI Bootcamp & ResearchWorld Economic Forum – Davos AI Panel VideoExplore 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: ⁠⁠Link to new student experience⁠⁠For questions, email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai challenges the unspoken norms in education that hinder innovation, highlighting how “paper walls” the unquestioned assumptions shape school systems. Featuring insights from LEGO Education, the Brookings Institution, and McKinsey, this episode explores what happens when students are trusted with agency, and what’s at stake when they’re not. Timestamps00:00 – Why We Don't Question the Bell ScheduleExploring how normalized structures in education prevent innovation and where leadership often defaults to inherited assumptions.04:20 – What Are Paper Wall Pushers?Introducing Steve Bartlett’s concept and its relevance to leadership, decision-making, and school culture.08:15 – LEGO’s Kid-Led AI StudyA deep dive into how LEGO empowered students to research AI on their own terms—and what we learn when we actually listen.14:30 – Brookings' Pre-Mortem on AI in EducationDiscussing Brookings Institution’s approach to preemptively evaluating the risks of AI overuse and under-guidance in schools.22:00 – From Traffic Lights to Thinking: What McKinsey Looks for NowContrasting traditional compliance models in schools with what companies like McKinsey now value: judgment, ambiguity navigation, and collaborative AI use.Resources Mentioned🔗 LEGO Education – Kid-Led AI Study📄 Brookings Institution – AI and Student Agency Report🧠 McKinsey Report – The Role of AI in Hiring and Decision-Making🌀 AI Guidance Frameworks and School Leadership Examples (Designing Schools)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: ⁠Link to new student experience⁠For questions, email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

In this powerful kickoff to the year, we unpack the deeper message behind Jensen Huang’s keynote at CES and how it reframes our evolving relationship with AI. From robotics presented as friends to McKinsey’s insights on agents, robots, and human responsibility, this episode explores why judgment not creativity or empathy, may be the most critical skill of the AI era. With real-world examples from schools and everyday life, we challenge listeners to rethink what it truly means to be prepared for the future.Resources Mentioned🔗 Watch Jensen Huang’s CES 2026 Keynote (the part I mention starts at 45:00)📄 McKinsey Report – Agents, Robots, and Us📘 OpenAI Report – AI as a Healthcare AllyExplore 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: Link to new student experienceFor questions, email: [email protected]

As we look back on 2025, we unpack the defining signals that transformed AI from a distant concept into a central teammate in every workflow. From bold statements by industry leaders to the emergence of new learning paradigms, this episode explores why the fundamentals of trust, culture, and clarity matter more than ever, and how the real leadership challenge in 2026 isn’t about predicting the future, but choosing to shape it.🤝 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.

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores the deeper cultural implications of AI’s evolution from tools to teammates. Using OpenAI’s recent personalization shift and the OnlyFans origin story as parallels, she reflects on societal responsibility, educational challenges, and why banning AI is not a solution. Through candid insight and current research, Sabba calls for reflection, redesign, and a commitment to future-focused leadership.Timestamps[00:00:00] The Shift from Clicks to ConversationsHow AI browsers like Atlas signal a fundamental change in how we interact with technology.[00:04:00] The OpenAI Controversy and Culture ClashSabba analyzes the backlash around ChatGPT’s personality features and what it says about freedom and responsibility.[00:06:00] Lessons from OnlyFans: When Users Redefine PlatformsA surprising yet powerful comparison showing how user behavior—not company intent—shapes digital culture.[00:14:00] Reports from the Field: The AI Literacy Gap in SchoolsInsights from Oxford University Press and the Center for Democracy and Technology highlighting students’ and teachers’ lack of AI confidence.[00:24:00] What Bold Leaders Do Differently with AISabba shares leadership lessons from top-performing teams and introduces the Spark Prompting Framework for deeper AI integration.Resources MentionedSam Altman Tweet on ChatGPT UpdatesOxford University Press - Teaching the AI Native GenerationHand in Hand: Schools Embrace of AI Connected to Increased Risk for StudentsExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In this episode of Designing Schools, Dr. Sabba Quidwai breaks down OpenAI’s transformative Dev Day announcements and what they mean for the future of education, creativity, and digital life. Exploring the shift from clickable interfaces to conversational AI, she challenges educators and leaders to rethink skills, judgment, and imagination in the age of agents and apps.⏱️ Timestamps[00:53] From Apps to AgentsOpenAI's 2025 Dev Day unveils a new digital world where apps like Canva and Spotify live inside conversations, not screens.[03:00] Redefining Human SkillsSam Altman and Jony Ive discuss focus, speed, and why human creativity and design thinking are more vital than ever.[07:26] Agents That Use Computers Like HumansGoogle’s Gemini 2.5 model introduces AI agents that can navigate and interact with digital environments autonomously.[10:25] Sora and the Rise of Generative ImaginationOpenAI’s video creation app Sora takes off—sparking excitement, ethical debates, and concerns over deepfakes.[14:35] Deloitte's AI Report ScandalAn AI-generated government report filled with fake citations reveals why discernment, not just tech skills, is critical today.Resources MentionedOpenAI Dev Day AnnouncementsUpdate: Gemini 2.5 Computer Use ModelWalmart Partnership With ChatGPT New App from OpenAI - Sora2Deloitte Pays Money Back After Making AI Errors in ReportStudent Course Waitlist 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In this solo episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores how leadership is evolving in the age of AI, not through technical mastery, but by cultivating clarity, trust, and shared intelligence. She introduces four transformative leadership personas, explains how AI is shifting from tool to teammate, and unpacks emerging research that paints a bold picture of what the world could look like in 2030.⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] The Leadership Shift in the AI EraWhy your leadership identity—not your AI knowledge—is your greatest strategy during exponential change.[04:00] What Makes a Super Leader?A breakdown of Kelly Jones' four leadership personas: The Technologist, The Empath, The Philosopher, and The Change Agent.[13:00] AI Teammates and Workflow RedesignInsights from Anthropic and OpenAI on training AI to work with humans, not replace them.[28:00] Safety, Skepticism, and the Human Cost of AIReflections on Senate hearings, Pew data, and how leaders can prepare their communities with empathy and literacy.Resources MentionedJoin the AI Power CircleThe AI Era Demands a New Kind of Leader  | CiscoHow Anthropic and OpenAI Are Developing AI Coworkers | The InformationCenter for Human Technology - Senate HearingHow Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and Society | Pew Research CenterGDP Val - Looking at AI CapabilitiesExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan Bauschard explore groundbreaking findings from a study released by OpenAI and Anthropic on how people are really using AI tools like ChatGPT. From tutoring and personalized learning to writing assistance and decision-making, they break down what 700 million weekly users reveal about how AI is transforming everyday life. With special focus on education, agency, and future-ready skills, this conversation is a wake-up call for schools, institutions, and leaders to move from committees to action.Timestamps00:01:00 – Inside the Data: 700 Million Weekly Users and What They're Doing with AIA look at the NBER study's key insights, showing a dramatic rise in personal, non-work AI use.00:04:30 – Top 3 Use Cases: Tutoring, Information Seeking, and Writing SupportA breakdown of the three most common AI usage themes and their significance in education.00:13:00 – The Gender Gap Closes and the Myth of Coding-Centric AIExploration of shifting demographics and the broader applications of AI beyond STEM.00:20:00 – Why Agency is the New Literacy in the Age of AIConnecting data trends with the need for self-directed learning and decision-making skills.00:32:00 – Brandeis University’s Bold Move to Reinvent Higher Ed for an AI FutureA case study in institutional agility and what it means to act—not wait—in a rapidly evolving world.Resources MentionedHow Are People Using ChatGPTAnthropic Economic IndexBrandeis University: Reinventing the Liberal ArtsExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

This episode explores the evolving impact of AI on the job market, especially its disproportionate effects on younger workers and recent graduates. Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan analyze the recent paper "Canaries in the Coal Mine", revealing how automation and augmentation are reshaping employment trends and urging educational leaders to rethink how students are being prepared for an AI-driven future.Timestamps[00:02:00] Rethinking the AI and Jobs DebateSabba challenges the binary narrative of “AI taking jobs” and advocates for a more nuanced view focused on redesigning existing roles and preparing for emerging ones.[00:05:00] Key Takeaways from ‘Canaries in the Coal Mine’Discussion of six major findings from the Stanford/Hi-Pact paper, highlighting declines in employment for young workers in AI-exposed jobs like coding and entry-level marketing.[00:10:00] Disconnect Between Education and Workforce NeedsReflection on how high schools and colleges must pivot from traditional learning models to design thinking and durable skills to help students remain relevant.[00:26:00] How to Be ‘AI Capable’ at WorkBreakdown of Zapier’s model distinguishing AI-capable, adaptive, and transformative roles—with implications for what employers now expect from applicants.[00:32:00] Notebook LM and Smarter Learning WorkflowsIntroduction to Google's Notebook LM as a transformative educational tool, enabling students to better engage with readings and improve learning outcomes using AI.Resources Mentioned📄 Paper: Canaries in the Coal Mine: Six Facts About Recent Employment Effects of AI by Erik Brynjolfsson and colleagues🗓️ Stanford Seminar (Sept 29): In-depth discussion of the Canaries in the Coal Mine findingsExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

This week, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan explore the rapidly blurring boundaries between humans and machines, from emotional bonds with AI companions to the systemic divide between individual and institutional AI use. With thought-provoking stories, emerging research, and bold perspectives, they uncover how our emotional, educational, and professional systems are unprepared for the new AI-infused reality and what we can do about it.Timestamps[00:00:00] When AI Becomes a Friend: Mustafa Suleyman's WarningSabba opens with reflections on AI's emotional mimicry and the psychological fallout when users felt they "lost a friend" with GPT model changes.[00:03:00] Companions or Crutches? Emotional Overload and Mental HealthStefan shares data on AI addiction, time spent on Character.AI, hospitalizations, and the societal implications of simulated friendships.[00:17:00] The GenAI Divide: Individual vs. Organizational AdoptionMIT's study reveals how individuals thrive using AI, while institutions lag behind—highlighting why experimentation alone isn't enough.[00:26:00] Microsoft’s 3 Phases of AI: Why Most Orgs Are Stuck in Phase 1Sabba introduces a powerful framework on AI integration—from assistants to teammates to agents—and why moving beyond Phase 1 is critical.[00:32:00] The Real Divide: Education vs. Workforce and How Youth Must AdaptAs college degrees lose value and entry-level jobs shrink, the hosts argue for design thinking and entrepreneurial mindsets in schools.Resources MentionedMustafa Suleyman's blog: Seemingly Conscious AISpiralBench: Benchmark testing AI models for delusional reinforcementNew York Times article: "What My Daughter Told ChatGPT Before She Took Her Life"MIT study: The GenAI Divide led by Professor Nitin NandaMicrosoft Work Trend Index: Three Phases of AI IntegrationExplore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan explore the evolving relationships people, especially students are forming with AI tools like ChatGPT-5 and other AI tools. From the surprising emotional reactions to AI model updates to the rise of AI-powered toys for children, they dissect what these developments mean for education, ethics, and the future of learning. This conversation challenges educators to reconsider how we define thinking, agency, and integrity in an AI-integrated world.Timestamps[00:01:00] What AI Can Already Do – Sabba outlines the capabilities of the newest AI tools, setting the stage for a deeper conversation on mindset and systems change.[00:05:00] Emotional Attachments to ChatGPT – Stefan discusses the backlash to ChatGPT-5 and the unexpected grief users expressed over losing GPT-4.[00:13:00] Personalization, Vulnerability, and Ethics – The hosts explore how AI companies are leaning into emotional design and what this means for young people’s agency and decision-making.[00:20:00] AI-Powered Toys and the Future of Childhood – Sabba introduces the topic of AI toys like Curio and their implications for learning, imagination, and privacy.[00:31:00] Redefining Thinking in an AI World – A reflection on what it means to “think” today, featuring Des Hassabis’s definition and how educators can redesign learning for agency and depth.Resources Mentioned⁠ChatGPT-5 - updates + relationship⁠⁠Chatbots + Toys⁠Explore 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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

This episode unpacks the viral claim, “AI won’t take your job, but someone who knows how to use it will,” exploring its deeper implications. Sabba and Stefan discuss how cultivating high-agency learners and leaders — who can adapt, make decisions, and build trust — is far more critical than simply learning AI tools. With practical strategies and thought-provoking insights, the conversation challenges educators, parents, and leaders to foster resilience and human connection in a world increasingly shaped by AI.Timestamps00:00 – The Viral Lie: “AI won’t take your job…”Sabba challenges the popular soundbite and introduces the real question: Who can lead and adapt when no one else comes to save them?03:00 – Greg Eisenberg’s Perspective on AI and JobsExploring Greg Eisenberg’s viral post and its implications for the workforce, entrepreneurship, and education.09:00 – Building High-Agency Learners vs. Teaching AI ToolsWhy persistence, curiosity, and decision-making matter more than ever — and why perfection and compliance no longer serve students or employees.27:00 – The Rise of AI Companions and the Loneliness CrisisDiscussing the concerning trend of kids (and adults) turning to AI for companionship, and what it says about human relationships.36:00 – Practical Strategies: Frameworks and Tools to Cultivate AgencyConcrete ways schools and organizations can foster high-agency environments, including examples from Desert Sands USD and Gemini AI.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedGreg Eisenberg’s LinkedIn post - How Does AI Play OutAI Companions and Kids

In this episode of Designing Schools, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan Bauschard explore the transformative shift from individual AI use to organizational deployment. They discuss Google's LearnLM principles, Gemini's enterprise tools, and how AI agents are changing the skills and mindset needed for leadership and collaboration. Through reflections, real-world examples, and critical insights, they outline how to move beyond using AI as an assistant and start managing it as a teammate.⏱️ Timestamps[00:01:00] Resetting for Impact: Sabba reflects on the first half of the year and clarifies her focus on organizational AI deployment.[00:06:00] Students, Parents, and AI: Stefan shares insights from his AI & entrepreneurship class and reactions to AI tools.[00:07:00] Google's LearnLM & Gemini: Unpacking the five principles of LearnLM and their implications for education.[00:19:00] OECD AI Capability Review: What AI can and can’t do yet — and how it measures up on skills like creativity, metacognition, and problem-solving.[00:40:00] From AI Assistant to Teammate: Why managing AI agents is a leadership challenge and how to move from individual use to enterprise deployment.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedGoogle Updates from ISTEGoldman Sachs CIO - We Must Prepare AI Native sand Being a People First OrganizationOECD AI Capability IndexGemini + Canva Course - Join our mini course and learn how to build your AI Dream Team

This episode explores how the evolving job market prioritizes AI fluency, adaptability, and mindset over traditional qualifications. Sabba and Stefan dissect recent research and reports, highlighting how education must adapt to prepare learners for a future where AI is a collaborator, not a cheat code. They also spotlight real-world education leaders and systems successfully navigating this transformation.Timestamps[00:01:00] The Résumé is Out, AI Fluency is InSabba unpacks a Fortune article on how companies now prioritize AI skills and mindset over experience or degrees.[00:04:00] Refusing AI Isn’t an OptionStefan raises concerns about higher ed’s disconnect, especially around ethical objections to using AI in learning environments.[00:10:00] Sandbox Interviews and Soft Skills ReimaginedDiscussion of new hiring practices including live AI collaborations and how soft skills like curiosity are redefined.[00:23:00] Stanford’s Human-AI Collaboration StudyDeep dive into new research from Stanford that maps out AI integration across roles, emphasizing shared human-AI agency.[00:36:00] Barbie Gets AI: The Future Starts in the ToyboxInsights on the Mattel–OpenAI partnership and how early AI exposure through toys will shape children’s perceptions and skills.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedFortune Magazine article on AI hiring trendsStanford’s “Future of Work with AI Agents” studyDiary of a CEO interview with Geoffrey HintonMattel and OpenAI partnership announcementAI Power Circle program: Join the AI Power Circle

This episode explores how emerging signals from viral LinkedIn posts to global entrepreneurship trends are revealing cracks in traditional education. Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan discuss the urgent need to move from robotic, standardized systems toward cultivating creativity, curiosity, and entrepreneurial thinking, especially as AI reshapes what it means to learn, lead, and connect. They share stories that inspire a mindset shift, from kids in Nepal launching businesses to how companies like Zapier are reimagining onboarding with AI.Timestamps[00:00:00] Redefining Human vs. RoboticKevin Scott’s insight: AI isn’t replacing people—it’s replacing people who act like machines.[00:02:00] A Parent’s Frustration Goes ViralMatt Pier’s viral LinkedIn post sparks a discussion about how current education is misaligned with future needs.[00:05:00] Building Future EntrepreneursStefan shares how AI-powered entrepreneurship camps can help kids generate revenue and creativity in weeks.[00:12:00] Are AI Friends Real Friends?Exploring how AI companions are affecting school life, emotional wellbeing, and our concept of relationships.[00:17:00] Kids Are Learning—Just Not in SchoolOpenAI’s finals week data shows students using ChatGPT for deep learning—not cheating.[00:25:00] From Tool to Teammate: Zapier’s Onboarding ShiftHow Zapier redesigned its onboarding to emphasize curiosity and AI-integrated workflows.[00:33:00] OpenAI and the NYT Lawsuit: What Educators Should KnowKey updates about data privacy, ChatGPT logs, and what’s excluded from court orders.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

In this powerful and provocative episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan explore the urgent implications of AI on education, employment, and democracy. They dissect recent comments by Anthropic's CEO, reflect on generational shifts in perceptions of higher education, and challenge educators to embrace change, not resist it. This is a call to action for reimagining learning, relevance, and agency in an AI-driven world.Timestamps[00:01:00] The AI Wake-Up CallDiscussion of Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s prediction that AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years and its implications for students and educators.[00:06:00] Rethinking Entry-Level WorkStefan unpacks how companies are prioritizing AI fluency over traditional hiring, and why entry-level positions may be disappearing.[00:14:00] College Regret and the ROI CrisisSabba cites a Fortune article on how over half of Gen Z feel college was a waste of money and explores how this sentiment is reshaping higher education.[00:26:00] Why Faculty Must Try, Not DefendA candid critique of higher ed’s resistance to AI innovation and a call for professors to collaborate with students in navigating an evolving academic and professional landscape.[00:32:00] Sinek, Struggle, and Staying HumanInsights from Simon Sinek on the importance of struggle in maintaining humanity and creativity amid AI’s rise.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedCNN Interview with Dario AmodeiSimon Sinek on Diary of a CEO PodcastTurning AI Tools into Teammates Mini-Course: Course Link

In this week’s special episode, Sabba and Stefan dive into the newly released AI literacy framework from the European Commission and OECD. Highlighting its student-centered vision, they explore how this document finally sets a compelling standard for empowering learners with durable skills, agency, and real-world decision-making tools for an AI-driven future.Timestamps[00:00:00] Introducing the OECD AI Literacy FrameworkSabba shares why this episode is different and introduces the newly released, game-changing AI literacy framework.[00:03:00] Why Students Learn More from Screens than SchoolsEye-opening statistics from the framework spark a conversation about reclaiming the educator's role in AI learning.[00:08:00] Personas and Real-World Scenarios for AI UseThe team explores how scenarios like Sophia’s story-writing journey with AI help model responsible use for students.[00:18:00] RISE vs. Traffic Lights: Rethinking AI Decision ModelsSabba and Stefan unveil the RISE framework as a more human-centered alternative to the often-used traffic light system.[00:27:00] A Look at Desert Sands’ Leading AI GuidanceCelebrating Desert Sands Unified School District's visionary leadership, the hosts showcase a real-world model of actionable and future-ready AI integration.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedOECD AI Literacy Framework — “Empowering Learners for the Age of AI”AI Skills for College and Career (Free Course): Access hereDesert Sands AI Guidance 

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan discuss the surprising fears at the top of organizations, CEOs worried about their lack of AI strategy and technical confidence. Drawing from the latest research from Day Taku, Microsoft, and the OECD, they unpack how leadership, education, and AI integration intersect, revealing why successful change depends more on mindset and management than on tools alone. From workplace strategies to the classroom crisis, they explore what’s needed to empower both leaders and learners in this AI-driven world.Timestamps[00:00:00] CEOs' Hidden Fears About AI LeadershipWhy 70% of global CEOs feel unprepared to lead AI transformation and the risks of lacking a strategy.[00:04:00] The AI Power Circle: A New Model for Executive LearningIntroducing a hybrid learning framework helping leaders align AI adoption with organizational change management.[00:12:00] Google's Alpha Evolve: AI’s Leap into Novel Problem-SolvingWhat Alpha Evolve means for coding, innovation, and why this shift demands a leadership mindset reboot.[00:19:00] Microsoft’s Four Lessons for AI Adoption in TeamsKey takeaways on why enablement beats access, the role of feedback loops, and why everyone is already an AI user.[00:28:00] The Broken Model of Education Exposed by AI CheatingReflecting on the viral "Everyone is Cheating Their Way Through College" article and the urgent call for instructional redesign.[00:41:00] OECD’s Warning on the Digital Well-Being of ChildrenWhy today's always-on digital world is failing young people and how educators can reclaim their role as mentors in the AI era.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedDaitaku Global CEO ReportAI Power CircleA hybrid leadership learning experience. Join the AI Power CircleOECD Report: "How’s Life for Children in the Digital Age"

This episode unpacks the viral claims that AI leadership doesn't exist yet and challenges that view by highlighting the real issue our resistance to change management and leadership development. Sabba and Stefan discuss how organizations can unlock real transformation by focusing on people, teams, and culture rather than just tools, while raising urgent questions about AI’s expanding role in social and professional life.Timestamps[00:01:00] Rethinking AI LeadershipSabba and Stefan critique viral LinkedIn posts claiming AI leadership doesn’t exist, arguing that this is more about change management than technological gaps.[00:03:00] Defining What AI Leaders Actually DoThey break down what true AI leadership looks like—navigating ambiguity, redesigning workflows, and building learning cultures.[00:08:00] The Career Question Everyone Should Be AskingStefan introduces a provocative reflection: What can you do better without AI than with it? This sparks a conversation about job security, workplace dynamics, and productivity.[00:22:00] Microsoft’s Game-Changing People Skills ToolSabba highlights Microsoft's new AI-powered employee skills mapping, pushing organizations to prioritize collaboration, visibility, and culture.[00:34:00] AI Social Companions: The New Mental Health Crisis?The episode wraps by dissecting Mark Zuckerberg's push for AI companions, exploring the blurred lines between tech-driven connection and human relationships.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedSparketype AssessmentCanva AI Webinar ReplayMicrosoft Work Trend IndexCommon Sense Media AI Companions ReportAmy Edmondson's Research on Psychological Safety

This week, Sabba and Stefan explore the increasingly blurred lines between AI as a companion, and AI as chatbot, and what's at stake for today's young people. With urgent reports from Common Sense Media and bold visions from tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Visa, the conversation uncovers the stark contrasts and underlying truths shaping our AI-driven future. This episode is a call to leadership, urging schools, parents, and communities to move beyond fear and into thoughtful engagement.Timestamps[00:00] Competing Visions of AI’s FutureSabba introduces the episode's central theme: AI's dual identity as a supportive teammate and a dangerous emotional influence, especially on youth.[02:00] Common Sense Media vs. Microsoft AIA deep dive into the recent Common Sense Media report flagging AI companions as unsafe for minors and contrasting it with Mustafa Suleyman’s optimistic view of AI as a digital species.[14:00] The Inconsistency of AI Ratings in EducationExploring contradictions in Common Sense Media’s app evaluations, highlighting the blurred lines between chatbots and AI companions used in educational settings[20:00] Corporate AI First Strategies & Education’s Outdated ResponseDiscussion of bold AI-first declarations by companies like Duolingo and Shopify and the disconnect with education's cautious or regressive stance.[37:00] Orbs, World ID, and AI ShoppersIntroduction to Worldcoin’s biometric ID system and Visa’s vision of AI-powered financial agents—spotlighting how AI is rapidly embedding itself into everyday life.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] MentionedCommon Sense Media Report on AI CompanionsApplied AI Podcast featuring Mustafa SuleymanWorldcoin  by Tools for HumanityVisa CEO Interview on AI Shopping AgentsDesert Sands Unified School District AI Guidance

In this week’s episode, Sabba Quidwai and Stefan Bauschard dive deep into the implications of the latest U.S. executive orders on artificial intelligence, particularly in education. They explore how policy is setting a new tone for AI integration from K–12 to workforce development and highlight actionable guidance from states like Nevada. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for leadership, literacy, and learning design to keep pace with the AI revolution.Timestamps[00:02:00] Executive Orders on AISabba and Stefan explore the language and implications of newly issued executive orders focused on AI innovation, particularly their impact on education systems from K–12 through university accreditation.[00:06:00] Breaking Down K–12 AI IntegrationStefan discusses the specifics of how executive orders support AI literacy, including funding strategies, competitions, apprenticeships, and cross-subject integration of AI.[00:18:00] Urgency in Innovation: Lessons from the Book "Click"Sabba shares an excerpt from the book Click by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, stressing the importance of focus, momentum, and mindset in organizational change.[00:25:00] Nevada’s Stellar AI GuidanceA spotlight on Nevada’s forward-thinking AI education framework, “STELLAR,” emphasizing transparency, empowerment, and critical thinking as core components[00:33:00] Enterprise Trends and AI ROI ReportsThe hosts break down the latest insights from Microsoft's Work Trend Index and Google’s GenAI ROI report, illustrating how AI is transforming workflows, leadership roles, and job readiness across industries.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] MentionedNevada Department of Education’s STELLAR AI GuidanceClick by Jake Knapp and John ZeratskyMicrosoft Work Trend Index (2025)Google GenAI ROI Report (2025)AI Literacy Framework Upcoming AI Readiness Webinar - Register Here

In this week's episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan Bauschard discuss the significant shifts AI is causing across education, particularly higher education. With the release of OpenAI’s latest models, they explore provocative scenarios, including whether universities can survive without radically reimagining their structures, curricula, and roles. Through candid conversations and real-world examples, they challenge the traditional pace of change and advocate for preparing learners, and educators, for an unpredictable, AI-driven world.Timestamps[00:00:00] The $68 Billion Question: California's Higher Ed CrisisSabba opens with a compelling budget scenario that sparks a major rethink of the cost and delivery of general education courses.[00:02:00] Can Universities Survive AI? Stefan's PerspectiveDiscussion on how universities must adapt—or risk obsolescence—by focusing less on content delivery and more on mentorship and hands-on learning.[00:05:00] Why O3 is a Game Changer: Understanding OpenAI's Newest ModelSabba explains the groundbreaking capabilities of the new O3 model, including agentic reasoning and dynamic tool use, and why it's leaving experts stunned.[00:13:00] The Problem with "Traffic Light" AI Policies in K–12Sabba critiques the oversimplified red-yellow-green frameworks for student AI use, urging for deeper decision-making frameworks instead.[00:29:00] Google AI Tools for Education: A Wake-up CallA powerful segment where Sabba highlights the new, free AI tools in Google Workspace for Education and discusses why educators urgently need to shift their mindsets and skillsets.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: ⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected] MentionedWebinar: Free Designing Schools webinar covering how to leverage new AI tools from Google and Canva. Click here to sign up and be notified of the details.

In this episode hosts Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan Bauschard explore the cultural and strategic implications of the Shopify CEO’s provocative memo: “Before you ask for headcount, tell me why AI can't do it.” They unpack major updates from Google and OpenAI, offering a compelling case for why AI is redefining collaboration, creativity, and leadership. This isn’t just about new tools, it’s a call to reimagine how we learn, lead, and live in a world where AI is now a baseline expectation.Timestamps[00:00:00] The Shopify Challenge: A Culture Memo, Not a Tech MemoSabba introduces the CEO’s powerful statement and frames it as a leadership challenge rather than a technological one.[00:05:00] Google's Vision for Collaborative AI WorkflowsA deep dive into Google's new Workspace Flows, writing coaches, and AI-powered video/audio tools that reshape how schools and teams operate.[00:16:00] From Tools to Teammates: Shifting Mindsets in EducationStefan and Sabba discuss the transformational potential of AI when viewed as a teammate and explore implications for student learning and entrepreneurship.[00:26:00] Gen Z’s AI Literacy Gap and the Urgency for ActionA new Gallup and Walton Family Foundation report highlights the mismatch between Gen Z’s usage and understanding of AI—and what schools must do now.[00:35:00] OpenAI’s Memory Update: The Future of Personalized IntelligenceWhat it means to have AI remember your interactions—and why this seemingly small update is a massive step toward hyper-personalized experiences.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: ⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠[email protected] MentionedShopify CEO Memo Gallup and Walton Family Foundation Gen Z ReportFree Chapter from the Book: From Tools to Teammates 

In this episode, Sabba and Stefan dive into the rapid acceleration of AI technologies, spotlighting how tools like ChatGPT and Claude are transforming the educational landscape. They explore groundbreaking developments like agentic platforms, transparency in AI reasoning, and what it means for today’s students to be the “Class of AGI.” This is a forward-thinking conversation that challenges leaders to rethink how we prepare people for a world led by intelligent systems.Timestamps[00:01:00] The Center of Gravity is ShiftingOpenAI's user explosion in India signals a global shift in AI adoption and influence.[00:10:00] The Class of AGI: Redefining Higher EducationAnthropic and OpenAI unveil initiatives aimed at transforming learning and literacy through AI-powered experiences.[00:22:00] Enter the Age of Agents: Digital Workers in the EnterpriseDeloitte and others launch digital coworkers to automate tasks, revealing how organizations must restructure around AI.[00:32:00] Inside the Mind of Claude: Anthropic’s Breakthrough in AI TransparencyA look at how Claude forms ideas and the effort to audit AI behavior through model interpretability research.[00:41:00] Passing the Turing Test and Redefining Human IdentityChatGPT-4.5 convinces users it’s human 73% of the time—raising deep questions about identity, agency, and digital discernment.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: ⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠[email protected] Mentioned📘 "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn Williams — A whistleblower’s account of Meta's internal culture and its impact on youth and society.🎥 Anthropic’s “Tracing the Thoughts of a Large Language Model” video — A visual explanation of AI interpretability breakthroughs.🎓 Free Course: AI Skills for College and Career — Explore the WISE Framework for balanced, ethical innovation.

LinkedIn just named AI literacy the #1 fastest-growing skill in the U.S., but it’s not just about learning how to use tools, it’s about rethinking how we work, lead, and learn. In this episode, Sabba sits down with Ryan Findley, Chief Learning Officer at Learn to Win, to explore how AI can actually enhance our most human skills and why design thinking is essential in an AI-everywhere world. They also dive into the mission behind the Sequoia conference and the blind spots in today’s AI conversations.

In this episode, Sabba and Stefan explore how artificial intelligence isn't abruptly replacing jobs, but instead quietly transforming them task by task. They dive into the capabilities of OpenAI’s new image and video generators, the blurred lines around creative ownership, and the power of AI-enhanced teams. The conversation emphasizes the need for AI literacy, design thinking, and a reimagining of roles in this rapidly evolving landscape.Timestamps[00:00:00] The Real Impact of AI on JobsSabba opens with a powerful reflection on how AI subtly transforms roles, prompting a deeper discussion on AI literacy and the future of work.[00:02:00] Image Generation & Studio Ghibli BacklashA deep dive into GPT-4o’s photorealistic image capabilities and the viral Studio Ghibli style trend, sparking ethical debates on copyright and creative replication.[00:10:00] Copyright, Personal Branding & Digital IntegrityA candid conversation about stolen ideas, credit in the creator economy, and how we define integrity in the age of AI.[00:28:00] Harvard-Wharton Study on AI-Enhanced TeamsReview of a recent study showing solo humans using AI outperform human teams, and how AI improves both performance and morale.[00:36:00] Sam Altman's Shocking Admission & Future-Proofing AdviceDiscussion on Sam Altman's comments about OpenAI’s unexpected shift and his advice for young people navigating a fast-changing world.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: Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: [email protected] Mentioned⁠OpenAI GPT-4o Image Generator⁠⁠Studio Ghibli⁠⁠ – Discussion on style replication and copyright⁠⁠Harvard, Wharton, P&G Study⁠⁠ – Report on AI-augmented individual and team performance⁠⁠Sam Altman Interview⁠⁠ – Stratechery with Ben Thompson⁠ (Text version available for free)⁠Free AI Skills Course⁠⁠ – AI Skills for College and Career⁠

In this episode, the hosts dive into a student’s quote about the transformative power of debate and use it as a launchpad to explore what instruction should look like in a world heading rapidly toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). They unpack insights from the recent Nvidia GTC keynote, discuss educational failures in preparing for AI, and spotlight Desert Sands Unified School District’s groundbreaking AI guidance, which includes human agency and AGI readiness.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: Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠[email protected]⁠Resources MentionedKevin Roose’s NYT Article – "Powerful AI is Coming"Jensen Huang’s GTC 2025 KeynoteDesert Sands Unified School District AI GuidanceHidden Brain Episode with Justin Berg on Creativity

AI isn’t waiting. Institutions are.For the past year, schools, governments, and businesses have been stuck in a waiting game, waiting for guidelines, waiting for tools, waiting for certainty.Meanwhile, AI researchers and tech companies aren’t waiting at all. They have total confidence in what their machines can do. They believe AI will reason, plan, and solve problems better than humans. And they’re building that future, while the rest of the world debates if AI even belongs in the classroom.designingschools.org/aiteamsArticle: Your AI Power Circle

What if students had a say in designing the future of education? In this episode, we hand them the mic. High schoolers from Gary Heidt's Innovation Lab are challenging outdated school systems, questioning AI bans, and rethinking what learning should look like. They’re not waiting for the future to happen to them, they’re building it.What’s Inside:🎤 What is a Protopian future? (And why students care)🤖 AI bans? Students share what schools get wrong about technology📚 Grades vs. agency—what actually motivates learning🚀 The moment they realized they have power over their own futureThese students aren’t just talking about change. They’re making it happen.🎧 Listen now and hear the future of education—straight from the next generation**.**Want to bring this conversation to your own classroom? Download the free course now and start rethinking the future of AI with your students! https://designingschools.thinkific.com/bundles/ai-skills-for-college-and-career

AI is advancing at a pace that is hard to keep up with - ChatGPT, Claude, and others keep releasing updates, and the pressure to “keep up” is overwhelming. But here’s the thing: most people don’t want to believe this is happening. Not because they don’t understand AI, but because they hope it’s not real.In this episode, we break down:Why AI isn’t just about tools—it’s about reimagining what’s possibleHow students and employees are already using AI—without guidanceThe biggest mistake leaders make when it comes to AI adoptionWhy prompting alone isn’t enough—and what you actually need to build a strategyHow education is having a mediocre AI conversation while the world moves forwardAnd if you’re wondering how to stop reacting to AI and start leading with it, that’s exactly what we dive into today.AI Bootcamp for Teams - A Hybrid Program for Leadership Teams to Design What's NextIf today’s episode felt like a wake-up call, AI Bootcamp for Teams is here to help you take action. This six-month hybrid program is designed for school leaders, educators, and teams who are ready to go beyond just experimenting with AI and start integrating it strategically. AI isn’t slowing down, and neither should you. With lifetime access to live sessions, updates, and expert-led strategy, you’ll always stay ahead.📍 Join now: https://designingschools.org/aiteamsResources & Mentions📌 Hard Fork Interview with Dario Amodei 📌 Report: The Disengagement Gap 🎙 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a review and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!📩 Got thoughts? DM me or send your questions to [email protected]

With AI models evolving at an overwhelming pace, how do you stay ahead without feeling constantly behind? This week, we break down the latest AI updates—including Claude, Grok, and the upcoming ChatGPT improvements—and share practical strategies for filtering the noise, staying informed, and making AI work for you.Topics Covered: Filtering the AI Overload: How to assess new models with benchmark prompts. The Importance of Trusted Sources: Why following the right people across industries matters. The AI Adoption Gap: Why students and employees are embracing AI faster than leaders. Super Agency & OpenAI Reports: Insights on how AI is shaping the workforce. AI in Leadership: Why organizations must shift from managing AI to leading with AI. AI’s Growing Role in Reasoning & Decision-Making: What this means for work, education, and daily life.Resources Shared: OpenAI Report: Building an AI-Ready Workforce McKinsey’s Super Agency report on AI in the workplace AI Bootcamp for Teams: Learn how to lead AI integration in your organization