Engagement Challenges with AI Tutors

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Kristen DiCerbo, Chief Learning Officer at Khan Academy; Martin Kelly, Sr. Director at FlexPoint and Florida Virtual School; Greg Toppo, Senior Writer at The74Million; Caleb Hicks, CEO at School AI; and Joleen Liang, CEO & Co-founder at Squirrel Ai Learning North America.

The session explored how the rise of AI tutors is transforming education and what that means for cultivating human cognitive strengths—particularly critical thinking. Panelists examined how to design learning environments that foster analytical reasoning, creativity, and adaptability alongside machine-driven instruction. They discussed strategies for using AI to enhance, rather than replace, learners' ability to evaluate information, form judgments, and develop deeper intellectual capabilities. The conversation emphasized the need for balance between technological advancement and the uniquely human skills that AI cannot replicate.