Innovations in Image Editing: The Power of NanoBanana

In this episode of the AI in Education Podcast, Ray and Dan dive into the latest news, tools, and research transforming education through AI. From ChatGPT’s agent and study modes to Google’s new Nano Banana image tool and Grammarly’s army of AI agents, there’s no shortage of innovation—or controversy.

They unpack OpenAI’s ambitious Learning Accelerator in India and explore how Australian schools are rolling out Corella, an AI assistant aimed at reducing teacher workload. The duo also discuss new research including the Microsoft 2025 AI in Education report, the Tech Council of Australia’s workforce study, and that eye-catching MIT headline: “95% of AI projects fail.”

Plus: Why students might start challenging teachers with Grammarly's grading predictions, how image tools are making reality harder to spot, and what a new AI supercomputer in Melbourne means for the future.

The OpenAI Learning Accelerator in India https://openai.com/global-affairs/learning-accelerator/ 

ChatGPT Study Mode https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philldawson_if-study-mode-will-still-do-the-thinking-activity-7356110105014136832-lkQj 

Google's nano banana https://blog.google/intl/en-mena/product-updates/explore-get-answers/nano-banana-image-editing-in-gemini-just-got-a-major-upgrade/ 

• Ronnie Chieng's video about Boomers falling for AI https://www.youtube.com/shorts/d_YdZ-M4LKM
• If you love this, you'll also love his whole special on Netflix, called "Ronny Chieng: Love to Hate It"

Grammarly AI Agents (and specifically AI Grader) https://www.grammarly.com/ai-agents/ai-grader 

Microsoft’s 2025 AI in Education report https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/bade/documents/products-and-services/en-us/education/2025-Microsoft-AI-in-Education-Report.pdf 

Queensland to Roll Out AI Tool “Corella” in Schools https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/governmentbacked-ai-program-promises-to-cut-teacher-admin-by-25-per-cent/news-story/0f7b8c05ec4b93496213a05c452c1c34 

Australian AI workforce study from TCA https://techcouncil.com.au/research/ 

• Dan mentioned some research about junior jobs being more impacted by AI than senior jobs.
• Here's a thread to read on that research, and the link to the original paper: https://x.com/SeyedMH98/status/1962332728130503027
• And if you want to go deep into the topic, then there's some excellent analysis written by Noah Smith here: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/ai-and-jobs-again 

Monash/Nvidia new AI supercomputer  https://www.theage.com.au/technology/nvidia-supercomputer-marks-new-era-for-australian-ai-20250813-p5mmjo.html

Power-hungry data centres scrambling to find enough electricity to meet demand https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-26/data-centre-electricity-grid-demand/104140808

Research

The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025 https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf 

Future of Work with AI Agents: Auditing Automation and Augmentation Potential across the U.S. Workforce https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.06576 

ChatGPT in Education: An Effect in Search of a Cause https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcal.70105?af=R