Satviki and Anwita, first-place winners of the NC AI Solve-a-Thon, share how they built NC Connect Link, an AI-powered app helping North Carolinians find critical resources in one place.

North Carolina's first student AI competition showed what's possible when K-12 students are trusted with real community problems. Hear from the NC DPI leaders who built it.

Most schools start their AI conversation with "Does this tool work?" Educator and philosopher Priten Shah argues that's the wrong first question. In this episode, Priten shares a bioethics-based framework for ethical decision-making in K-12 and makes the case that classroom teachers, not district admins, are the most consequential AI decision-makers in any school

Think rural districts are "behind" on AI? Think again. Wyoming’s tech leader Steven Priest reveals how small schools are using high-trust, low-bureaucracy environments to lead the nation in AI adoption.

Scott Kern, a veteran historian turned AP US History teacher at North Star Academy, didn't enter the AI space for efficiency alone. Instead, he sought to solve the "great sadness" of the profession: the inability to be everywhere at once for thirty unique learners. By developing custom feedback bots that mirror his instructional voice, Scott scaled his presence, resulting in a career-high pass rate on the AP exam.

Ivanna Gutierrez joins the show to discuss the critical transition from being a consumer of technology to a creator, emphasizing AI literacy as a fundamental requirement for modern equity. Drawing on her experience in both IT consulting and the classroom, she shares how she guides students to use generative AI for problem-solving while maintaining the logical rigor needed for long-term success.

Babak Mostaghimi joins Kinwise to discuss the "Three Horizons" of innovation and why K-12 leaders must prioritize pro-human AI over mere system efficiency.

In an era where a doctoral dissertation could theoretically be generated in minutes, educational leaders face a profound dilemma: How do we prioritize the process of learning when the product can be automated?

Lydia Kumar sits down with Dr. Nicole Schilling and Dr. Jason Margolis to dissect the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in high-stakes education. Approaching the topic through a "critical friends" model, they offer contrasting perspectives on the risks of cognitive atrophy and the potential for AI to serve as a rigorous simulation partner. Together, they explore the nuances of bias, the limitations of rigid policy, and the urgent need to redefine ethical guidelines for the next generation of leaders.

Dr. Dana Riger, UNC’s GenAI Faculty Fellow, discusses shifting from AI policing to values-driven curriculum design and the essential role of human empathy in education.

As AI becomes embedded in nearly every classroom tool, how can schools safeguard privacy, foster digital discernment, and still innovate? In this episode of Kinwise Conversations in AI, Danelle (Danielle) Brostrom, K-12 Educational Technology Coach at Traverse City Area Public Schools and 2025 EDSAFE AI Alliance Women in AI Fellow, joins host Lydia Kumar to unpack this urgent question.

AI ethics researcher Ahmed Boutar joins host Lydia Kumar to discuss why the future of education depends on teaching interpretation, not generation. In this Kinwise Conversations in AI episode, we explore AI alignment, governance, and how K-12 leaders can balance innovation with human oversight, ethical judgment, and transparency.