Week in Edtech 3/19/25: OpenAI’s Writing Model, Gemini Canvas Goes Free, Zoom’s Chain of Draft, China Adds AI to Schools, EdTech Office Closes, and More! Feat. Annie Chechitelli of Turnitin & Sara Mauskopf of Winnie

Mar 28, 2025

Annie Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer at Turnitin, and Sara Mauskopf, CEO of Winnie, join to discuss critical shifts in edtech. They explore the launch of AI-driven education in China and its implications for the U.S. Meanwhile, OpenAI teases a new creative writing model, while Gemini Canvas and Deep Research go free, revolutionizing educational tools. They dive into the ethical use of AI in academics and the rise of school choice, emphasizing how parents can make informed decisions in today's learning landscape.

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INSIGHT

Feeling Behind Inspires Action

Feeling "behind" can inspire rapid change and big swings.
Witnessing other countries' AI education initiatives creates urgency.

INSIGHT

OpenAI vs. Gemini

OpenAI's press strategy is strong, but their product strategy might be lagging.
Gemini's AI-everywhere approach seems effective, focusing on real classroom use cases.

INSIGHT

Gemini Canvas

Google's large user base (billions) necessitates a clean UI/UX.
Gemini Canvas allows real-time co-writing with AI, useful for education and coding.

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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they break down a pivotal week of AI announcements, edtech disruption, and education policy shifts.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:00:00] China introduces AI education for 6-year-olds, sparking urgency for U.S. to respond
[00:05:23] OpenAI teases a creative writing model as Google and Anthropic push into coding AI
[00:07:59] Gemini Canvas and Deep Research go free, redefining educational productivity tools
[00:11:09] Copyright clash: OpenAI wants to train on protected content, creatives push back
[00:14:02] Gemini’s UI outpaces OpenAI with real classroom use cases
[00:17:54] Chain of Draft from Zoom cuts AI costs by 90% and mimics human note-taking
[00:18:34] Baidu, Alibaba launch emotion-reading and multi-modal AI models in China
[00:20:50] Manus, China’s autonomous AI agent, sparks global interest in multi-agent systems
[00:23:36] U.S. vs. China: centralized AI strategy meets decentralized innovation culture
[00:27:57] U.S. Education Dept. shutters Office of Ed Tech, leaving a national guidance gap

Plus, special guests:

[00:30:11] Annie Chechitelli, CPO at Turnitin, on launching Clarity for ethical student AI use
[01:03:49] Sara Mauskopf, CEO & Co-founder of Winnie, on expanding into K-12 and the rise of school choice

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor:

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

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 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.