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Reflections from THE AI SHOW @ ASU+GSV: Why Human-Centered AI in Education Matters More Than Ever

I’m still processing the insights and conversations from THE AI SHOW at ASU+GSV in San Diego. As AI rapidly reshapes education and organizational life, it’s clear we’re facing unprecedented uncertainty and opportunity.


The vision of hyper-personalized learning paths with students glued to screens interacting endlessly with chatbots isn't the future I want to see 🧟‍♂️💻. However, I’m incredibly energized by AI and edtech that prioritize human connection and empower educators to spend less time on draining tasks and more time engaging in meaningful, inspiring work.




The Critical Gap in AI Adoption


One of the most pressing gaps right now is the lack of clear AI policies and strategic plans in most schools. Schools urgently need:

  • Guardrails: Clear policies outlining safe and mission-aligned AI usage.

  • Green Lights: Support for exploring positive, purposeful AI adoption.


My current focus and passion is helping teams navigate this uncertainty by adopting AI in mission-driven, human-centered ways, complete with the necessary tools, training, and support.


Conference Highlights and Key Insights

Several presentations and conversations deeply resonated with me:

🔹 Jessica Hoffmann highlighted the value of data-driven interventions for teacher well-being and resilience, emphasizing that each school's challenges are unique.

🔹 Antonio Vigil of Aurura Public Schools shared powerful examples of how AI is effectively improving student outcomes at the district level.

🔹 Dan Meyer delivered a provocative message about the importance of preserving the "sacred social bonds" between students and teachers and between students themselves, despite technological advancements.

🔹 Kartik Hosanagar and Vincent Nijs offered innovative strategies for incorporating AI into lesson planning and assessments, using student chat histories to evaluate learning processes and emphasizing the critical need for users to challenge AI outputs actively.

🔹 Colin Kaepernick's Lumi is exploring compelling innovations in AI and education; I’m excited to follow their journey.

🔹 Aaron Moorhead from Cascades Academy shared inspiring examples of AI reducing teacher workload, allowing educators to focus more on work that ignites their passion.

🔹 There’s significant potential for Design Thinking methodologies to guide schools and teams through AI adoption thoughtfully, keeping human experiences and connections at the forefront.


Core Themes and Big Questions

AI's rise in education raises important questions:

  • How should middle and high schools prepare students for a collaborative future with AI?

  • Which skills are essential when AI becomes a primary collaborator?

  • How can schools balance AI adoption with teacher and student well-being?

  • How do we ensure that human agency, purpose, and connection remain central?

  • As Dan Meyer points out, so far there has been very little adoption of AI in schools. Why is that?


Essential Skills for the AI Era

Students will need:

  • Critical Thinking including the ability to push back on AI outputs

  • Communication

  • Creativity

  • Collaboration with humans and with AI agents

  • Empathy

  • Purpose

  • Agency

  • Metacognition


New roles will emerge:

  • Students as active collaborators with AI

  • Teachers as designers of rich experiences, not merely deliverers of content

  • Leaders as facilitators of cultural and technological change


Teacher Support and AI Integration

AI can significantly reduce teacher burnout by automating routine tasks such as grading, providing writing feedback, and managing administrative duties. However, as Dan Meyer reminded us, tech must support, not undermine, the essential human relationships that define teaching and learning.


Moving Forward

As the educational landscape shifts, intentional, people-centered strategies are crucial. Designing meaningful AI integration requires clarity, courage, and collaboration. It’s precisely here, in helping organizations create these strategies, that I see the greatest opportunity and need.


If your school or team is exploring human-centered, mission-aligned AI strategies, I’d love to partner with you. Together, let's shape an educational future where AI amplifies human connection, agency, and purpose.

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