Week in Edtech 8/27/25: Teen Suicide Linked to ChatGPT, Bill Ackman’s Alpha School Debate, OpenAI Expands in India and Eyes UK Deal, Anthropic’s Higher Ed Report on Augmentation vs. Automation, and More!

Sep 5, 2025

This week delves into the alarming link between teen mental health and AI, specifically ChatGPT. The discussion highlights how AI could shape job opportunities for recent grads and draws parallels to past tech-related moral panics. Bill Ackman sparks debate over AI-driven education with his Alpha School model, raising questions about its implications. OpenAI's expansion plans and Anthropic’s emphasis on augmentation over automation in higher education are also key topics, driving the urgency for responsible AI practices in classrooms.

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INSIGHT

Headline-Driven Moral Panic

The media often seeks short-term splashy AI headlines that create moral panic.
Alex Sarlin warns this obscures longer-term, nuanced progress in education technology.

INSIGHT

AI Fuels Broader Societal Fears

AI prompts fears about jobs, mental health, and geopolitical misuse.
Ben Kornell frames headlines as part of a broader societal worry, not just technology failure.

ANECDOTE

Host Predicted Serious AI Harms

Alex recounts predictions they made earlier that AI-linked suicides would appear.
He stresses people often jump to causal conclusions linking ChatGPT to teen suicide without full context.

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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they navigate a week of heavy headlines in education technology—from AI risks and teen safety to global expansion moves by OpenAI and new research from Anthropic.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:02:20] AI panic in the headlines with concerns about teen mental health, suicide, and youth dependency
[00:06:33] AI’s impact on job opportunities for new college graduates
[00:08:00] Comparing AI anxieties with past moral panics about video games, music, and social platforms
[00:14:14] Why AI guardrails in school tools may be the edtech industry’s biggest value-add
[00:18:54] Bill Ackman’s New York Alpha School fuels debate over AI-driven education models
[00:22:20] The risk of Alpha School becoming the “face” of AI schooling for better or worse
[00:25:28] OpenAI expands globally with a new Head of Education in India and a potential UK-wide ChatGPT deal
[00:27:26] Anthropic’s higher ed report shows educators using AI more to augment than automate

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