In this episode of ChatEDU (Beyond the Bot – When a High Schooler Rewrites NASA’s Playbook), Matt and Liz explore AI’s growing role in schools, cities, and culture. From prompt politeness and energy costs to anime selfies and a Google AI giveaway, AI is everywhere. They wrap with a teen whose AI research is changing how we see space.

Story 1 – Please, Thank You, and Power Drain

Matt and Liz discuss whether courtesy helps or hurts, citing a Waseda study linking impolite prompts to more bias and less accuracy. They also spotlight SaveTheAI.ai, a satirical campaign urging energy conservation for AI as a funny but thoughtful nudge toward sustainability.

Story 2 – Google’s Higher Ed Land Grab

Google now gives U.S. students free access to Gemini Advanced (NotebookLM, Gemini Pro 1.5, and full Workspace tools_ through Spring 2026. Matt and Liz call it a strategic move to dominate student AI use. They ask: is this about access or dependency? With built-in study tools and AI analysis, schoolwork is shifting. As Matt says, it’s nonstop content but less reflection.

Story 3 – AI Cosplay Goes Viral

OpenAI’s growth came from anime, not upgrades. Ghibli-style selfies let users turn photos into Studio Ghibli characters via GPT-4. Matt and Liz explore what this says about creative AI use. They also touch on copyright law and how AI art is reshaping ideas of originality. Liz demos it live with fun results.

Story 4 – Your AI Image Library Is Here

ChatGPT’s new image library lets users save, organize, and edit visuals. It improves how students and teachers use AI-generated media in class. Liz shares how she used it for Skills21’s College and Career Accelerator, making visuals about kindness. It hints at a more collaborative AI future.

Story 5 – When Helpful Bots Hallucinate

Cursor, an AI coding tool, drew backlash when its support bot “Sam” invented a device policy. It was a hallucination. The company refunded users and now labels AI responses. Matt and Liz ask: are bots ready for schools? When AI slips, the fallout can be serious.

Beneath the Surface – A Teen’s AI Discovery Stuns NASA

Teen Mateo Paz used AI to find 1.5 million hidden space objects in NASA’s NEOWISE archive. With Caltech’s Davey Kirkpatrick, he built a model tracking brightness to classify stars and quasars. His solo paper in The Astronomical Journal shows the power of student-led science. This isn’t AI for homework, it’s discovery!

Bright Byte – AI for the Visually Impaired

Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University created a wearable for the blind using AI and haptics. It beats canes by detecting obstacles in real time. It’s a reminder that AI boosts mobility and not just productivity.

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This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

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