Welcome to episode 327 (“AI Search Evolution”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 22, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) discussed various topics, beginning with Jason’s recent trip to Japan, where he visited Hiroshima and experienced some unique weather patterns. The conversation quickly transitioned to an in-depth look at current technology news and its implications for education. Key discussions included the return of controversial figures to social media platforms, the impact of fractured social media ecosystems on communication and professional development, and the potential and challenges of federated social media platforms like Mastodon. The hosts emphasized the importance of educators exploring and understanding these evolving platforms to better navigate the digital landscape. The episode also highlighted significant updates from Google I/O and Microsoft, focusing on their AI advancements and new product announcements. Jason and Wes analyzed Google’s move to integrate AI into search results, comparing it to science fiction-like interactions and pondering its future implications for advertising, media, and user behavior. They also delved into Microsoft’s controversial “Recall” feature, which captures screenshots of users’ screens every few seconds, raising substantial privacy and security concerns. The hosts wrapped up with their “Geeks of the Week” segment. Jason recommended the Logitech Options+ software for enhancing mouse functionality with AI features, while Wes shared a personal throwback by showcasing a 1978 remix of Star Wars and a practical video on managing email effectively for a productive digital life. 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, @edtechsr@mastodon.education 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
- OpenAI debuts GPT-4o ‘omni’ model now powering ChatGPT (TechCrunch; 13 May 2024)
- Google I/O 2024: everything announced (The Verge, 14 May 2024)
- Key January 6th Instigator, Nick Fuentes, Reinstatement on Twitter/X: The Implications (Just Security, 4 May 2024)
- Roblox Community Protests ‘Communism’ Update (404 Media, 9 May 2024)
- Microsoft Surface event: the 6 biggest announcements (The Verge; 20 May 2024)
- How the new Microsoft Recall feature fundamentally undermines Windows security (Double Pulsar, 21 May 2024)
- Jason’s Geek of the Week: LogiTech AI Generator
- Wes’ Geek of the Week: Star Wars 1978 Remix (6 min) and Email Jedi Tricks (31 min)
