In this episode of ChatEDU, Will AI Flatten the K-12 and Higher Education Org Chart?, Matt and Liz kick it off with a deep dive into the troubling rise of "slopaganda” (AI-generated content used for political manipulation). They discuss the jarring emergence of Lego-style political figures involving world leaders and "poo-bombing" videos, reflecting on how these digital fakes erode public trust.

The Rundown

Adobe Student Spaces turns notes into flashcards, quizzes, and AI podcasts.

Gemini gains NotebookLM's project notebooks for chats and sources.

Counselor GPT helps NYC school counselors handle admin and student queries.

NYC adopts red/yellow/green AI guidance for teachers.

Ivy Leaguers are dropping out for AI startups.

A 58-year-old technophobe builds a business with Claude.

Gallup: Gen Z's AI excitement turns to anger.

White House AI Challenge spotlights K-12 innovators.

Dementia risk drops with internet use, and EdAdvance's Screen Shift soft-launches.

Peninsula District saves $250K with DIY AI tools.

Beneath the Surface

Matt and Liz examine a radical restructuring at Block (Square/Cash App) where the company collapsed eight levels of management into just three: Individual Contributors, Directly Responsible Individuals, and Player-Coaches. They conduct a thought experiment on whether AI and "World Models" could eventually allow K-12 and Higher Ed institutions to remove layers of middle management by automating coordination and data routing.

Bright Byte

The show highlights "Ghost Murmur," a previously classified AI tool used by the CIA. This technology utilizes quantum magnetometry to detect a human heartbeat from miles away, which recently helped rescuers locate and save a downed U.S. airman hiding in a remote mountain crevice in Iran.

Announcements

Purchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday

Amazon -⁠ https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77⁠

Register for our educator + leader AI Micro-Credential in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University - ⁠skills21.org/ai/micro⁠

Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠⁠

Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register for the Spring AI Conference (5.1.26) in Litchfield, CT - ⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/event-details/ai-in-education-spring-2026-conference⁠⁠

Address Screen Time concerns - ⁠⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠⁠

Sponsors

The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing: Your Gateway to Next Generation Advanced Manufacturing - ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠

Edia: The Ai Platform to improve K-12 outcomes - ⁠edia.app/contact⁠

Links

Will AI Flatten the K-12 and Higher Education Org Chart? | Ep. 106