Designing Schools

In this episode hosts Dr. Sabba Quidwai and Stefan Bauschard explore the cultural and strategic implications of the Shopify CEO’s provocative memo: “Before you ask for headcount, tell me why AI can't do it.” They unpack major updates from Google and OpenAI, offering a compelling case for why AI is redefining collaboration, creativity, and leadership. This isn’t just about new tools, it’s a call to reimagine how we learn, lead, and live in a world where AI is now a baseline expectation.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] The Shopify Challenge: A Culture Memo, Not a Tech Memo

• Sabba introduces the CEO’s powerful statement and frames it as a leadership challenge rather than a technological one.

[00:05:00] Google's Vision for Collaborative AI Workflows

• A deep dive into Google's new Workspace Flows, writing coaches, and AI-powered video/audio tools that reshape how schools and teams operate.

[00:16:00] From Tools to Teammates: Shifting Mindsets in Education

• Stefan and Sabba discuss the transformational potential of AI when viewed as a teammate and explore implications for student learning and entrepreneurship.

[00:26:00] Gen Z’s AI Literacy Gap and the Urgency for Action

• A new Gallup and Walton Family Foundation report highlights the mismatch between Gen Z’s usage and understanding of AI—and what schools must do now.

[00:35:00] OpenAI’s Memory Update: The Future of Personalized Intelligence

• What it means to have AI remember your interactions—and why this seemingly small update is a massive step toward hyper-personalized experiences.

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: ⁠⁠[email protected]

Resources Mentioned

• Shopify CEO Memo
• Gallup and Walton Family Foundation Gen Z Report
• Free Chapter from the Book: From Tools to Teammates 

In this episode, Sabba and Stefan dive into the rapid acceleration of AI technologies, spotlighting how tools like ChatGPT and Claude are transforming the educational landscape. They explore groundbreaking developments like agentic platforms, transparency in AI reasoning, and what it means for today’s students to be the “Class of AGI.” This is a forward-thinking conversation that challenges leaders to rethink how we prepare people for a world led by intelligent systems.

Timestamps

[00:01:00] The Center of Gravity is Shifting

• OpenAI's user explosion in India signals a global shift in AI adoption and influence.

[00:10:00] The Class of AGI: Redefining Higher Education

• Anthropic and OpenAI unveil initiatives aimed at transforming learning and literacy through AI-powered experiences.

[00:22:00] Enter the Age of Agents: Digital Workers in the Enterprise

• Deloitte and others launch digital coworkers to automate tasks, revealing how organizations must restructure around AI.

[00:32:00] Inside the Mind of Claude: Anthropic’s Breakthrough in AI Transparency

• A look at how Claude forms ideas and the effort to audit AI behavior through model interpretability research.

[00:41:00] Passing the Turing Test and Redefining Human Identity

• ChatGPT-4.5 convinces users it’s human 73% of the time—raising deep questions about identity, agency, and digital discernment.

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: ⁠[email protected]

Resources Mentioned

• 📘 "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn Williams — A whistleblower’s account of Meta's internal culture and its impact on youth and society.
• 🎥 Anthropic’s “Tracing the Thoughts of a Large Language Model” video — A visual explanation of AI interpretability breakthroughs.
• 🎓 Free Course: AI Skills for College and Career — Explore the WISE Framework for balanced, ethical innovation.

LinkedIn just named AI literacy the #1 fastest-growing skill in the U.S., but it’s not just about learning how to use tools, it’s about rethinking how we work, lead, and learn.

In this episode, Sabba sits down with Ryan Findley, Chief Learning Officer at Learn to Win, to explore how AI can actually enhance our most human skills and why design thinking is essential in an AI-everywhere world. They also dive into the mission behind the Sequoia conference and the blind spots in today’s AI conversations.

In this episode, Sabba and Stefan explore how artificial intelligence isn't abruptly replacing jobs, but instead quietly transforming them task by task. They dive into the capabilities of OpenAI’s new image and video generators, the blurred lines around creative ownership, and the power of AI-enhanced teams. The conversation emphasizes the need for AI literacy, design thinking, and a reimagining of roles in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] The Real Impact of AI on Jobs

• Sabba opens with a powerful reflection on how AI subtly transforms roles, prompting a deeper discussion on AI literacy and the future of work.

[00:02:00] Image Generation & Studio Ghibli Backlash

• A deep dive into GPT-4o’s photorealistic image capabilities and the viral Studio Ghibli style trend, sparking ethical debates on copyright and creative replication.

[00:10:00] Copyright, Personal Branding & Digital Integrity

• A candid conversation about stolen ideas, credit in the creator economy, and how we define integrity in the age of AI.

[00:28:00] Harvard-Wharton Study on AI-Enhanced Teams

• Review of a recent study showing solo humans using AI outperform human teams, and how AI improves both performance and morale.

[00:36:00] Sam Altman's Shocking Admission & Future-Proofing Advice

• Discussion on Sam Altman's comments about OpenAI’s unexpected shift and his advice for young people navigating a fast-changing world.

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: [email protected]

Resources Mentioned

• ⁠OpenAI GPT-4o Image Generator⁠
• ⁠Studio Ghibli⁠⁠ – Discussion on style replication and copyright⁠
• ⁠Harvard, Wharton, P&G Study⁠⁠ – Report on AI-augmented individual and team performance⁠
• ⁠Sam Altman Interview⁠⁠ – Stratechery with Ben Thompson⁠ (Text version available for free)
• ⁠Free AI Skills Course⁠⁠ – AI Skills for College and Career⁠

In this episode, the hosts dive into a student’s quote about the transformative power of debate and use it as a launchpad to explore what instruction should look like in a world heading rapidly toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). They unpack insights from the recent Nvidia GTC keynote, discuss educational failures in preparing for AI, and spotlight Desert Sands Unified School District’s groundbreaking AI guidance, which includes human agency and AGI readiness.

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: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Resources Mentioned

• Kevin Roose’s NYT Article – "Powerful AI is Coming"
• Jensen Huang’s GTC 2025 Keynote
• Desert Sands Unified School District AI Guidance
• Hidden Brain Episode with Justin Berg on Creativity