This week, we're sharing a timely conversation from Artificial Intelligence: Real Talk, part of the BE Podcast Network.

Host Jethro Jones talks with Aaron Makelky, a former Wyoming educator who now works in the AI and media technology space, about what he learned after attending OpenAI’s Codex event in San Francisco. The conversation gives educators and school leaders a look inside the world of AI power users—and, more importantly, what that world means for classrooms, students, and the future of learning.

Aaron and Jethro discuss how tools like Codex, Claude, and other AI agents are changing the way people build, write, design, automate, and learn. They also explore one of the biggest challenges facing schools right now: the gap between students and educators who are experimenting deeply with AI and those who are still unsure where to begin.

This episode is especially relevant for educators, administrators, ed tech leaders, and anyone thinking about AI literacy, responsible use, access, opportunity, and how schools can prepare students for a world where these tools are becoming part of everyday work.

Topics include:

What happened at OpenAI’s Codex event and why it matters for education
How AI power users are combining multiple tools to solve real problems
Why AI is still too often framed only as cheating in schools
What educators need to understand about AI agents and workflow automation
The growing gap between early adopters and everyday users
How schools can help students use AI for learning, not shortcuts
Why the most valuable role may be translating AI advances into practical classroom and organizational use

Guest: Aaron Makelky

Learn more at aaronmakelky.com.

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