Welcome to episode 319 (“Tech Titans Testify”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 31, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) delved into a variety of current topics at the intersection of technology, education, and policy. Discussions kicked off with an exploration of the unusual weather patterns affecting the United States, including an unprecedented heatwave followed by a forecast of more snow, showcasing the bizarre weather phenomena exacerbated by climate change. The conversation quickly pivoted to pressing cybersecurity concerns, highlighting FBI warnings about potential Chinese cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure. The episode also covered the testimony of tech CEOs before Congress, where topics ranged from social media’s impact on youth to digital privacy challenges and the responsibilities of tech companies in moderating content. In a lighter vein, Dr. Fryer shared exciting updates from the Webb Space Telescope, offering a glimpse into the universe’s marvels and the scientific community’s latest discoveries. The episode further discussed the rise of artificial intelligence, its implications for education and security, and the innovative uses of AI in creating new educational content and tools. Reflecting on the digital landscape, the hosts touched upon the evolving role of smart speakers and the potential shifts in browser technologies, pointing to a future where technology is increasingly integrated into our daily lives and learning environments. “Geeks of the Week” included a nod to the Hardfork podcast for its insightful analysis of media and journalism’s digital transformation and the Voices of DARPA podcast, shedding light on defense research projects that could influence future educational technologies. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdtechSR page on Facebook, mastodon.education/@edtechsr on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and a custom GPT on ChatGPT, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!
Shownotes
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- Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
- Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
- ChatGPT’s new @-mentions bring multiple personalities into your AI convo (ArsTechnica, 31 Jan 2024)
- Google News Is Boosting Garbage AI-Generated Articles (404 Media; 18 January 2023) – Archive.today version
- Nightshade, the tool that ‘poisons’ data, gives artists a fighting chance against AI (TechCrunch; 26 January 2024)
- Toxic Telegram group produced X’s X-rated fake AI Taylor Swift images, report says (ArsTechnica, 26 Jan 2024)
- Teen boys use AI to make fake nudes of classmates, sparking police probe (ArsTechnica, 2 Nov 2023)
- FBI director warns that Chinese hackers are preparing to ‘wreak havoc’ on US critical infrastructure (CNN, 31 Jan 2024)
- Amazon confirms that Fire TV is dropping Android in deleted job listing (9 to 5 Google; 31 January 2024)
- Accusations, tears and rants: 5 takeaways from today’s tech CEO hearing (CNN, 31 Jan 2024)
- Pew report shows TikTok’s rise and YouTube’s ubiquity (TechCrunch; 31 January 2024)
- The Media and Democracy Project names Elon Musk the “2023 Disinformer of the Year” (Media & Democracy Project, 31 Jan 2024)
- Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not (The Verge; 30 January 2024)
- The Vision Pro (Daring Fireball; 30 January 2024)
- Apple is finally allowing full versions of Chrome and Firefox to run on the iPhone (The Verge; 25 January 2024)
- Positive Misc
- NASA’s Webb Depicts Staggering Structure in 19 Nearby Spiral Galaxies (NASA Webb Mission Team, 29 Jan 2024)
- Jason’s Geek of the Week: Drop.com
- Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Mediapocalypse Now + a16z’s Chris Dixon Defends Crypto + HatGPT (Hard Fork, 26 Jan 2024) and Voices from DARPA Podcast: Episode 73: The AI Cyber Challenge – CTF, Code, and Critical Infrastructure
