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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and guest co-hosts Matt Tower of Whiteboard Advisors, & Kate Eberle Walker, CEO of Presence as they break down the latest headlines in education technology and from Big Tech’s AI push to the evolving future of school models.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] Kate Eberle Walker on parents’ concerns about AI chatbots and student mental health
[00:03:20] Apple integrates OpenAI and Gemini into Siri, reshaping the AI race
[00:04:15] Global AI shake-up: Microsoft shifts to Anthropic, Baidu gains ground, Google antitrust update
[00:14:45] Edtech funding slowdown and investor focus on regulated markets like special education
[00:18:07] OpenAI launches certifications for frontline workers; Google gamifies AI literacy with Stanford
[00:27:43] First NAEP results post-pandemic show continued learning loss and lack of political focus on academics
[00:39:01] Accountability challenges in education: attendance, wellness, and equity in public vs. private models
[00:43:46] Debate on Alpha Schools’ “two hours of AI per day” model and its implications for learning

Plus, special guest:
[00:50:17] Chris Walsh, Chief Product and Technology Officer of PBLWorks on scaling project-based learning

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 30 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.

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Closing Bell: 10/8/25

Closing Bell

Market Movers: AMD, Dell, AST Space Mobile

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