ASU+GSV Summit Sessions

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Jessica Lindl, VP of Ecosystem Growth at Unity Technologies.The session explored how the rapidly evolving world of work—driven by AI, shifting government policies, and economic uncertainty—is transforming the way we approach career readiness. The interactive workshop introduced the “Career Game Loop,” a game-based framework for navigating career disruption. Lindl guided attendees through strategies to help students and job seekers “level up” in uncertain times, while also offering tools to future-proof their own careers. By adopting a gamer mindset, participants discovered new ways to turn disruption into opportunity and empower the next generation for success in an AI-driven world.

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Shashank Agarwal, Software Engineer at Google Research; Anna Iurchenko, Designer at Google Research; and Komal Singh, Product Manager at Google Research.The session addressed the evolving role of skills development as the next frontier in education. The speakers discussed the complex but essential shift from traditional knowledge-based learning to a focus on skills acquisition—both cognitive skills such as communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity, as well as socio-emotional skills like self-regulated learning and composure under pressure. They highlighted Google’s efforts to lead this transformation by innovating ways to measure and develop 21st-century skills and career readiness, ensuring these methods are validated by academia and seamlessly integrated into classrooms around the world.

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Alejandro Caballero, Principal Education Specialist at the International Finance Corporation (IFC); Esther Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director at World Education Services; Jo Johnson, Executive Chairman at FutureLearn; Arnav Kumar, Co-Founder at Leap Finance; Meti Basiri, CEO & Co-Founder at ApplyBoard Inc; and Pamela Bates, COO at Shorelight.The panel explored how global student mobility is reshaping higher education and becoming a critical export for countries around the world. In 2018, one in five graduate students were international; today, that number has grown to one in three. Despite an overall decline in graduate enrollment, the proportion of international students continues to rise. The session examined current trends in international student recruitment, financing, and retention, and discussed how institutions can remain competitive in attracting top talent globally.

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Esther Wojcicki, Founder of the Palo Alto Media Arts Program and Chief Education Advisor at JoinKnack.com.The session highlighted how video creation is a powerful tool for developing critical thinking in students—while also being highly engaging. Esther Wojcicki explained how the process of creating videos requires students to brainstorm ideas, refine their message, make informed choices, storyboard, script, and validate information—all while learning essential technical skills. This hands-on, creative approach not only builds cognitive and digital literacy but also helps ignite enthusiasm for learning, especially among reluctant students.

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Tyler Sussman, Senior Program Officer, Education at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.The session explored how artificial intelligence can solve persistent instructional challenges by fostering coherence across the fragmented edtech landscape. Tyler Sussman discussed how teachers, often overwhelmed by disconnected tools and inconsistent pedagogical foundations, could benefit from AI systems that unify and align instructional materials. He imagined a future where interoperable edtech tools communicate seamlessly, drawing from research-backed resources and academic standards to deliver personalized, precise, and instructionally coherent content. The session highlighted the potential of building robust public AI infrastructure and middleware to support teachers in delivering more focused, impactful instruction—empowering them to prioritize what matters most: student learning.

Beth Hollenberg, CEO of Everspring, and James Moore, Director of Online Learning at DePaul University, discuss how universities can uphold brand authenticity amidst the rising influence of AI. They highlight the staggering reliance on AI by students and how this impacts institutional marketing. The conversation reveals strategies for transforming digital presence through AI-driven marketing and emphasizes authentic content creation. They also touch upon integrating AI across disciplines, showcasing innovative examples that enhance student engagement.

Seshashayee Murthy, a Data Science Researcher at UC San Diego, teams up with Sanjay Srivastava, CEO of Vocareum, to tackle the alarming decline in math proficiency among students. They discuss how AI-powered personalized learning can transform education by creating digital twins of students that diagnose knowledge gaps. This innovative approach ensures tailored instruction is delivered in real-time, seamlessly integrating with existing platforms. They explore enhancing engagement in math via virtual tutors and the promise of bridging educational divides for diverse learners.

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Dan Burgess, Service Owner for Learning Management at the University of Michigan, and Ryan Lufkin, Vice President of Global Academic Strategy at Instructure. The session was emceed by Kate Sutherland, Managing Director at Tyton Partners.The session showcased how the University of Michigan and Instructure are collaboratively transforming education through cutting-edge, AI-driven initiatives. Speakers highlighted how personalized learning experiences and enhanced student engagement are setting a new benchmark for innovation in modern education. By leveraging AI, the partnership aims to deliver scalable, student-centered solutions that reflect the future of teaching and learning.

In a lively discussion, Kenny Berlin, CEO of 12twenty, and Daniel Liu, Assistant Vice Provost for Career Success at UT Austin, dive into transformative career services. They share UT Austin's ambitious goal of achieving 90% positive career outcomes for graduates. With a focus on data-driven strategies, they discuss the evolving landscape of student expectations and the importance of durable skills. The role of AI in enhancing job matching and student support also makes for an intriguing angle, highlighting how tech can reshape career success.

In this session, Rajen Sheth, CEO of Kyron Learning, and Michelle Stefano, Director at Miami Dade College, dive into the future of online education. They discuss how AI is transforming student engagement through innovative interactive courses. Highlights include case studies showing improved retention rates and cost-effectiveness, as well as the importance of tailored learning experiences for diverse student backgrounds. The conversation also touches on the vital role of faculty in leveraging AI to enhance foundational courses, making learning more impactful and accessible.