Designing Schools

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai reflects on a story about Sri Lankan tea to explore how intention, design, and human judgment matter more than tools alone, especially in an AI-driven world. Drawing from insights by leaders at Anthropic, OpenAI, and education research, the episode challenges schools to move beyond banning or blindly adopting AI and instead redesign learning so humans and AI work together thoughtfully.Timestamps00:00–03:00 — A story from Sri Lanka: Dilmah tea, intention, and resisting commoditization05:00–09:00 — The “adolescence of technology” and why AI power is outpacing our systems of judgment09:30–13:30 — An NPR classroom story and the real problem with “going analog”16:00–19:00 — Introducing the SPARK framework and redesigning tasks for human–AI collaboration20:00–26:00 — Sam Altman, judgment, and why high agency matters more than technical skillsResources MentionedDario Amodei Essay: The Adolescence of TechnologyOpenAI Town HallWhy AI Can’t Make DecisionsThe Story of Ceylon TeamakerExplore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: ⁠J⁠⁠oin the AI Power Circle⁠⁠⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠⁠⁠Designing Schools⁠⁠⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠⁠⁠Link to new student experience⁠⁠⁠For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠

In this episode of Designing Schools, Dr. Sabba Quidwai reflects on her recent keynote at Shanghai American School, where students showcased real-world applications of AI, decision-making, and entrepreneurial thinking. She connects these powerful examples to emerging research from Anthropic and Stanford, revealing how AI mirrors human capability and why fostering critical thinking and initiative is more urgent than ever.Timestamps[00:00:00] Students Are Ready—Now, Not LaterReflections on student agency at Shanghai American School and how young people are already solving real problems using AI and global partnerships.[00:04:00] What the Data Tells Us: AI Mirrors Human ThinkingInsights from Anthropic’s Economic Research Index revealing AI’s dependence on user input quality and education levels.[00:08:00] Why Most People Don’t Use AI EffectivelyStanford’s Jeremy Utley explains the real barrier to AI use—imagination and modeling, not fear or lack of access.[00:12:00] Introducing the Spark Prompting FrameworkDr. Quidwai shares her human-centered approach to AI collaboration, emphasizing clarity and empathy over clever syntax.[00:18:00] Leadership in a Time of Unstoppable ChangeReflections from Davos and why education systems must invest in human capability, not wait for tools to stabilize.[00:21:00] Why Entrepreneurial Thinking Is No Longer OptionalA call to embed entrepreneurship into core learning, not as an elective, but as essential preparation for an AI-driven world.Resources MentionedSpark Prompting Framework Guide + 50 PromptsAnthropic Economic Research IndexJeremy Utley, Stanford – AI Bootcamp & ResearchWorld Economic Forum – Davos AI Panel VideoExplore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: J⁠⁠oin the AI Power Circle⁠⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠⁠Designing Schools⁠⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠⁠Link to new student experience⁠⁠For questions, email: ⁠⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai challenges the unspoken norms in education that hinder innovation, highlighting how “paper walls” the unquestioned assumptions shape school systems. Featuring insights from LEGO Education, the Brookings Institution, and McKinsey, this episode explores what happens when students are trusted with agency, and what’s at stake when they’re not. Timestamps00:00 – Why We Don't Question the Bell ScheduleExploring how normalized structures in education prevent innovation and where leadership often defaults to inherited assumptions.04:20 – What Are Paper Wall Pushers?Introducing Steve Bartlett’s concept and its relevance to leadership, decision-making, and school culture.08:15 – LEGO’s Kid-Led AI StudyA deep dive into how LEGO empowered students to research AI on their own terms—and what we learn when we actually listen.14:30 – Brookings' Pre-Mortem on AI in EducationDiscussing Brookings Institution’s approach to preemptively evaluating the risks of AI overuse and under-guidance in schools.22:00 – From Traffic Lights to Thinking: What McKinsey Looks for NowContrasting traditional compliance models in schools with what companies like McKinsey now value: judgment, ambiguity navigation, and collaborative AI use.Resources Mentioned🔗 LEGO Education – Kid-Led AI Study📄 Brookings Institution – AI and Student Agency Report🧠 McKinsey Report – The Role of AI in Hiring and Decision-Making🌀 AI Guidance Frameworks and School Leadership Examples (Designing Schools)Explore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: J⁠oin the AI Power Circle⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠Designing Schools⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠Link to new student experience⁠For questions, email: ⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠

In this powerful kickoff to the year, we unpack the deeper message behind Jensen Huang’s keynote at CES and how it reframes our evolving relationship with AI. From robotics presented as friends to McKinsey’s insights on agents, robots, and human responsibility, this episode explores why judgment not creativity or empathy, may be the most critical skill of the AI era. With real-world examples from schools and everyday life, we challenge listeners to rethink what it truly means to be prepared for the future.Resources Mentioned🔗 Watch Jensen Huang’s CES 2026 Keynote (the part I mention starts at 45:00)📄 McKinsey Report – Agents, Robots, and Us📘 OpenAI Report – AI as a Healthcare AllyExplore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: Join the AI Power Circle and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: Designing Schools — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: Link to new student experienceFor questions, email: hello@designingschools.org

As we look back on 2025, we unpack the defining signals that transformed AI from a distant concept into a central teammate in every workflow. From bold statements by industry leaders to the emergence of new learning paradigms, this episode explores why the fundamentals of trust, culture, and clarity matter more than ever, and how the real leadership challenge in 2026 isn’t about predicting the future, but choosing to shape it.🤝 Partner with Us: Join the AI Power Circle and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: Designing Schools — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores the deeper cultural implications of AI’s evolution from tools to teammates. Using OpenAI’s recent personalization shift and the OnlyFans origin story as parallels, she reflects on societal responsibility, educational challenges, and why banning AI is not a solution. Through candid insight and current research, Sabba calls for reflection, redesign, and a commitment to future-focused leadership.Timestamps[00:00:00] The Shift from Clicks to ConversationsHow AI browsers like Atlas signal a fundamental change in how we interact with technology.[00:04:00] The OpenAI Controversy and Culture ClashSabba analyzes the backlash around ChatGPT’s personality features and what it says about freedom and responsibility.[00:06:00] Lessons from OnlyFans: When Users Redefine PlatformsA surprising yet powerful comparison showing how user behavior—not company intent—shapes digital culture.[00:14:00] Reports from the Field: The AI Literacy Gap in SchoolsInsights from Oxford University Press and the Center for Democracy and Technology highlighting students’ and teachers’ lack of AI confidence.[00:24:00] What Bold Leaders Do Differently with AISabba shares leadership lessons from top-performing teams and introduces the Spark Prompting Framework for deeper AI integration.Resources MentionedSam Altman Tweet on ChatGPT UpdatesOxford University Press - Teaching the AI Native GenerationHand in Hand: Schools Embrace of AI Connected to Increased Risk for StudentsExplore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the AI Power Circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Designing Schools⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠

In this episode of Designing Schools, Dr. Sabba Quidwai breaks down OpenAI’s transformative Dev Day announcements and what they mean for the future of education, creativity, and digital life. Exploring the shift from clickable interfaces to conversational AI, she challenges educators and leaders to rethink skills, judgment, and imagination in the age of agents and apps.⏱️ Timestamps[00:53] From Apps to AgentsOpenAI's 2025 Dev Day unveils a new digital world where apps like Canva and Spotify live inside conversations, not screens.[03:00] Redefining Human SkillsSam Altman and Jony Ive discuss focus, speed, and why human creativity and design thinking are more vital than ever.[07:26] Agents That Use Computers Like HumansGoogle’s Gemini 2.5 model introduces AI agents that can navigate and interact with digital environments autonomously.[10:25] Sora and the Rise of Generative ImaginationOpenAI’s video creation app Sora takes off—sparking excitement, ethical debates, and concerns over deepfakes.[14:35] Deloitte's AI Report ScandalAn AI-generated government report filled with fake citations reveals why discernment, not just tech skills, is critical today.Resources MentionedOpenAI Dev Day AnnouncementsUpdate: Gemini 2.5 Computer Use ModelWalmart Partnership With ChatGPT New App from OpenAI - Sora2Deloitte Pays Money Back After Making AI Errors in ReportStudent Course Waitlist Explore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the AI Power Circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Designing Schools⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠

In this solo episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai explores how leadership is evolving in the age of AI, not through technical mastery, but by cultivating clarity, trust, and shared intelligence. She introduces four transformative leadership personas, explains how AI is shifting from tool to teammate, and unpacks emerging research that paints a bold picture of what the world could look like in 2030.⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] The Leadership Shift in the AI EraWhy your leadership identity—not your AI knowledge—is your greatest strategy during exponential change.[04:00] What Makes a Super Leader?A breakdown of Kelly Jones' four leadership personas: The Technologist, The Empath, The Philosopher, and The Change Agent.[13:00] AI Teammates and Workflow RedesignInsights from Anthropic and OpenAI on training AI to work with humans, not replace them.[28:00] Safety, Skepticism, and the Human Cost of AIReflections on Senate hearings, Pew data, and how leaders can prepare their communities with empathy and literacy.Resources MentionedJoin the AI Power CircleThe AI Era Demands a New Kind of Leader  | CiscoHow Anthropic and OpenAI Are Developing AI Coworkers | The InformationCenter for Human Technology - Senate HearingHow Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and Society | Pew Research CenterGDP Val - Looking at AI CapabilitiesExplore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the AI Power Circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Designing Schools⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠

In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan Bauschard explore groundbreaking findings from a study released by OpenAI and Anthropic on how people are really using AI tools like ChatGPT. From tutoring and personalized learning to writing assistance and decision-making, they break down what 700 million weekly users reveal about how AI is transforming everyday life. With special focus on education, agency, and future-ready skills, this conversation is a wake-up call for schools, institutions, and leaders to move from committees to action.Timestamps00:01:00 – Inside the Data: 700 Million Weekly Users and What They're Doing with AIA look at the NBER study's key insights, showing a dramatic rise in personal, non-work AI use.00:04:30 – Top 3 Use Cases: Tutoring, Information Seeking, and Writing SupportA breakdown of the three most common AI usage themes and their significance in education.00:13:00 – The Gender Gap Closes and the Myth of Coding-Centric AIExploration of shifting demographics and the broader applications of AI beyond STEM.00:20:00 – Why Agency is the New Literacy in the Age of AIConnecting data trends with the need for self-directed learning and decision-making skills.00:32:00 – Brandeis University’s Bold Move to Reinvent Higher Ed for an AI FutureA case study in institutional agility and what it means to act—not wait—in a rapidly evolving world.Resources MentionedHow Are People Using ChatGPTAnthropic Economic IndexBrandeis University: Reinventing the Liberal ArtsExplore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the AI Power Circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Designing Schools⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠

This episode explores the evolving impact of AI on the job market, especially its disproportionate effects on younger workers and recent graduates. Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan analyze the recent paper "Canaries in the Coal Mine", revealing how automation and augmentation are reshaping employment trends and urging educational leaders to rethink how students are being prepared for an AI-driven future.Timestamps[00:02:00] Rethinking the AI and Jobs DebateSabba challenges the binary narrative of “AI taking jobs” and advocates for a more nuanced view focused on redesigning existing roles and preparing for emerging ones.[00:05:00] Key Takeaways from ‘Canaries in the Coal Mine’Discussion of six major findings from the Stanford/Hi-Pact paper, highlighting declines in employment for young workers in AI-exposed jobs like coding and entry-level marketing.[00:10:00] Disconnect Between Education and Workforce NeedsReflection on how high schools and colleges must pivot from traditional learning models to design thinking and durable skills to help students remain relevant.[00:26:00] How to Be ‘AI Capable’ at WorkBreakdown of Zapier’s model distinguishing AI-capable, adaptive, and transformative roles—with implications for what employers now expect from applicants.[00:32:00] Notebook LM and Smarter Learning WorkflowsIntroduction to Google's Notebook LM as a transformative educational tool, enabling students to better engage with readings and improve learning outcomes using AI.Resources Mentioned📄 Paper: Canaries in the Coal Mine: Six Facts About Recent Employment Effects of AI by Erik Brynjolfsson and colleagues🗓️ Stanford Seminar (Sept 29): In-depth discussion of the Canaries in the Coal Mine findingsExplore More from Designing Schools🤝 Partner with Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the AI Power Circle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and collaborate with forward-thinking educators building the future with AI.📘 Get the Book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Designing Schools⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a practical blueprint to transform your campus with creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Course – AI Skills for College and Career⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to equip your school community with future-ready skills.For questions, email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@designingschools.org⁠