ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast25 Apr 2025

Beyond the Bot - When a High Schooler Rewrites NASA’s Playbook | Ep. 55

In this episode of ChatEDU (Beyond the Bot – When a High Schooler Rewrites NASA’s Playbook), Matt and Liz explore AI’s growing role in schools, cities, and culture. From prompt politeness and energy costs to anime selfies and a Google AI giveaway, AI is everywhere. They wrap with a teen whose AI research is changing how we see space.

Story 1 – Please, Thank You, and Power Drain

Matt and Liz discuss whether courtesy helps or hurts, citing a Waseda study linking impolite prompts to more bias and less accuracy. They also spotlight SaveTheAI.ai, a satirical campaign urging energy conservation for AI as a funny but thoughtful nudge toward sustainability.

Story 2 – Google’s Higher Ed Land Grab

Google now gives U.S. students free access to Gemini Advanced (NotebookLM, Gemini Pro 1.5, and full Workspace tools_ through Spring 2026. Matt and Liz call it a strategic move to dominate student AI use. They ask: is this about access or dependency? With built-in study tools and AI analysis, schoolwork is shifting. As Matt says, it’s nonstop content but less reflection.

Story 3 – AI Cosplay Goes Viral

OpenAI’s growth came from anime, not upgrades. Ghibli-style selfies let users turn photos into Studio Ghibli characters via GPT-4. Matt and Liz explore what this says about creative AI use. They also touch on copyright law and how AI art is reshaping ideas of originality. Liz demos it live with fun results.

Story 4 – Your AI Image Library Is Here

ChatGPT’s new image library lets users save, organize, and edit visuals. It improves how students and teachers use AI-generated media in class. Liz shares how she used it for Skills21’s College and Career Accelerator, making visuals about kindness. It hints at a more collaborative AI future.

Story 5 – When Helpful Bots Hallucinate

Cursor, an AI coding tool, drew backlash when its support bot “Sam” invented a device policy. It was a hallucination. The company refunded users and now labels AI responses. Matt and Liz ask: are bots ready for schools? When AI slips, the fallout can be serious.

Beneath the Surface – A Teen’s AI Discovery Stuns NASA

Teen Mateo Paz used AI to find 1.5 million hidden space objects in NASA’s NEOWISE archive. With Caltech’s Davey Kirkpatrick, he built a model tracking brightness to classify stars and quasars. His solo paper in The Astronomical Journal shows the power of student-led science. This isn’t AI for homework, it’s discovery!

Bright Byte – AI for the Visually Impaired

Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University created a wearable for the blind using AI and haptics. It beats canes by detecting obstacles in real time. It’s a reminder that AI boosts mobility and not just productivity.

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The Steady Course: Preparing for Tomorrow Without Retreating to Yesterday | Ep. 131

Matt and Liz unpack their 7th sold out conference takeaways and so much more this week! First UpMatt sets up a hundred people at a math conference who split into cheaters, converts and whistleblowers,...

9 Okt 51min

A Route Around the Degree | Check-In 68

In this ChatEDU Check-In: A Route Around the Degree, Matt explores Andreessen Horowitz's launch of an AI-focused school as an alternative to traditional higher education. The initiative provides pract...

8 Okt 3min

The Tech Lash That Wasn't | Check-In 67

"In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Techlash That Wasn't, Matt explores how states actually reacted to the big tech backlash of 2026." Despite media headlines depicting a widespread removal of classroom te...

6 Okt 3min

What Two Students Learned Drafting an AI Bill with 100 Teens | Ep. 130

A hundred teens drafted an “AI bill of rights” that lets accused students appeal. Two Connecticut students on why they also barred teachers from AI grading and so much more.First UpMatt and Liz open o...

2 Okt 1h 7min

Blue Books Won't Fix It | Check-In 66

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Blue Books Won't Fix It, Liz explores the shift back toward paper blue books for exams and how international test results challenge the idea that technology is the main drive...

1 Okt 4min

AI Writes Women Differently | Check-In 65

In this ChatEDU Check-In: AI Email Bias, Liz explores how AI language models may generate less professional and structurally weaker outputs when prompted with female-coded language. This research reve...

29 Sep 2min

Here Comes the ChatEDU Creator’s Corner | Ep. 129

Matt and Liz sort the AI doom cycle into what schools should say to parents now. Plus a principal's sub coverage tool, built inside Gemini Notebook.First UpMatt and Liz open on Tilly Norwood, the AI-g...

25 Sep 53min

Most Parents Support AI + Screens (In Moderation) | Check-In 64

In this ChatEDU Check-In: Parents Aren't Anti-Screen?, Matt explores how recent polling reveals parents favor balanced ed tech usage rather than complete bans. Despite high-profile pushback against sc...

24 Sep 2min