EdTechSR Ep 304 Privacy Laws, Please!

Welcome to episode 304 (“Privacy Laws, Please!”) of the EdTech Situation Room from September 6, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed exciting developments and educational impacts related to artificial intelligence (AI). They highlighted new AI-powered tools like Claude and Poe that summarize documents and provide customized assistance. Jason explained how these tools have streamlined his workflow, saving him hours of time processing information. The hosts also addressed concerns about generative AI, including the creation of inappropriate content. They analyzed the complications arising from open access to AI models. In addition, Jason and Wes talked about new Google Workspace features involving AI, like automated meeting summaries. They speculated on the future integration of AI into platforms like YouTube and Zoom. Shifting focus, the pair addressed updates involving Apple products, Huawei smartphones, and connected cars and privacy. They emphasized the need for privacy regulations. Discussion also centered on censorship and content moderation on social media platforms. Wrapping up, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including a TED talk from Sal Khan about AI in education, a podcast on political impacts of AI, and Khan Academy’s AI platform, Khanmigo. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. AI-generated child sex imagery has every US attorney general calling for action (ArsTechnica, 6 Sept 2023)
  10. Zoom’s New ‘AI Companion’ Will Catch You Up When You’re Late to Meetings (CNet, 6 Sept 2023)
  11. OpenAI seeks to dismiss majority of Sarah Silverman’s and authors’ claims in ChatGPT lawsuits (Venture Beat; 29 August 2023)
  12. Zoom’s New ‘AI Companion’ Will Catch You Up When You’re Late to Meetings (ZDNet, 6 Sept 2023)
  13. Poe.com: Quora’s “Metacrawler” of Chatbots (free version available; pro is $20/month)
  14. Perplexity.AI: Research-focused AI chat bot (free version available; pro is $20/month); quotes citations
  15. Connected cars are a “privacy nightmare,” Mozilla Foundation says (ArsTechnica, 6 Sept 2023)
  16. These academics studied falsehoods spread by Trump. Now the GOP wants answers (Washington Post, 6 June 2023)
  17. X sues hate speech researchers whose “scare campaign” spooked Twitter advertisers (ArsTechnica, 1 Aug 2023)
  18. A low-cost Macbook is reportedly in the works to take on Chromebooks (CHrome Unboxed; 5 September 2023)
  19. Now Available: Duet AI for Google Workspace (Google Workspace Blog; 29 August 2023)
  20. Google Docs just got a new AI-powered proofreading tool (ZDNet; 30 August 2023)
  21. Google Docs adds new AI-driven proofreading option to help you create high quality writing (Chrome Unboxed; 30 August 2023)
  22. Forget subtitles: YouTube now dubs videos with AI-generated voices (Rest of World; 27 July 2023)
  23. From the Yikes Department: Microsoft retracts AI-written article advising tourists to visit a food bank on an empty stomach (Engadget; 18 August 2023)
  24. All hail the new EU law that lets social media users quiet quit the algorithm (Tech Crunch; 25 August 2023)
  25. Huawei’s Mate 60 smartphone should have been impossible (Creative Bloq, 6 Sept 2023)
  26. For John Green, the Battle Over Access to Books Has Gotten Personal #GiftLink (NYTimes, 31 Aug 2023)
  27. Jason’s AI Workflow for Recorded Meeting Keyword Monitoring
    1. Download a podcast
    2. Create a transcript with Word 365 Online
    3. Run it through a LLM
    4. Prompt: As the Executive Director of the Montana State virtual school, I am interested in virtual education policies, technologies, and best practices for K-12 education. I am also focused on the development of study and online learning skills in students, educational technology, AI in education, and social studies and humanities education. Please provide a summary of an article that highlights the 5-10 major points most relevant to my role and context.
  28. Wes’ EdTechSR podcast summary workflow
    1. YouTubeTranscript.com
    1. Google Docs: Save as PDF
    2. Ingest into https://claude.ai/
    3. Saved prompt: Summarize in the style of this past example…
    4. Generate 10 clever, 3 word titles for the show…
  29. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Taking Seriously The Threats Posed by A.I., with Tristan Harris – 
  30. Wes’ Geek of the Week: How AI Could Save (Not Destroy) Education by Sal Khan – Khanmigo
…Privacy is a Function of Liberty – Ed” (CC BY 2.0) by PunkToad

EdTechSR Ep 303 Happy Birthday Google!

Welcome to Episode 303 (“Happy Birthday Google!”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 30, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed a range of technology topics, analyizing the latest news at the intersection of education and technology. They covered the 25th Birthday of Google, developments in artificial intelligence, including Google’s new image generation tool in Google Slides, a watermarking technique from Google to help track AI-generated images, and Ideogram, a powerful new free AI image generation tool Neiffer discovered. Fryer shared insights on military AI, highlighting the US Air Force’s plans to use autonomous drone “wingmen” alongside human pilots. The hosts also talked about upcoming Apple announcements, anticipating the likely release of the iPhone 15. They weighed the potential benefits of switching to USB-C charging and the need for schools to adapt. Social media topics included Facebook’s staff cuts impacting content moderation, lawsuits against tech companies related to student mental health, and the risks of election misinformation with weakened oversight. In other news, hosts highlighted the new US Cybersecurity Trustmark for IoT devices and Google’s plans to integrate AI writing assistance across Chromebooks. For their “Geeks of the Week,” Fryer shared a tutorial on using Voice Memos for student oral history projects, and Neiffer highlighted a deal on the MacBook Air M1, praising its speed and value. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. OMG APPLE EVENT
  10. Google is 25 Years Old!!! (Android Police; 8 August 2023)
  11. AI images are getting harder to spot. Google thinks it has a solution (The Washington Post; 29 August 2032)🎁Link
  12. Guy Puts Artist Back Into AI System After He Begs to Be Removed (Futurism , 2 Aug 2023)
  13. Stephen Wolfram on Computational Thinking (Wes’ blog post from 7 Aug 2023)
  14. A.I. Brings the Robot Wingman to Aerial Combat (NY Times, 27 Aug 2023) 🎁Link
  15. AI Image Generation in Google Slides is Here (Flipped Classroom via YouTube)
  16. Google’s “Help Me Write” AI is coming to Chromebooks on a system-wide level (Chrome Unboxed; 25 August 2023)
  17. Following Elon Musk’s lead, Big Tech is surrendering to disinformation (Washington Post, 25 Aug 2023) 🎁Link
  18. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education sues social media companies over mental health impacts (25 Aug 2023) 
  19. The ‘US Cyber Trust Mark’ finally gives device makers a reason to spend big on security (TechCrunch, 23 Aug 2023)
  20. Jason’s Geek of the Week: MacBook Air M1 on Sale! 
  21. Wes’ Geek of the Week: [VIDEO] Sharing Voice Memos (Family Oral History Project) – full lesson
Google Birthday Box!” (CC BY 2.0) by clevercupcakes

EdTechSR Ep 302 AI Ethics Examined

Welcome to Episode 302 (“AI Ethics Examined”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 23, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed a variety of AI-related news stories and developments. They covered an Iowa school district’s controversial use of ChatGPT to identify books with sexual content, as well as concerns around the hacking of AI chatbots at the Defcon security conference. The hosts also talked about reconstructing songs from neural data, Dungeons & Dragons banning AI art, and the high costs associated with running AI models like ChatGPT. Jason and Wes further explored Apple’s stances on right-to-repair legislation, the company’s long history of planning for augmented reality headsets, and regulations in Europe and some US states aimed at curbing social media use and smartphone addiction among teenagers. In addition, they highlighted an upcoming floating workspaces feature in Chrome OS that could benefit classroom workflows. The episode wrapped up with the hosts sharing their “Geeks of the Week,” including an AI class offered by Jason’s school, using custom instructions to control ChatGPT’s verbosity, and a neurotechnology podcast that Wes recommended. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Montana Digital Academy offering new Artificial Intelligence course to high school students (KPAX; 16 August 2023)
  10. When Hackers Descended to Test A.I., They Found Flaws Aplenty (New York Times; 16 August 2023) 🎁Link
  11. OpenAI may have to wipe ChatGPT and start over (Boy Genius Report; 18 August 2023)
  12. Dungeons & Dragons tells illustrators to stop using AI to generate artwork for fantasy franchise (AP, 6 Aug 2023)
  13. Music can be reconstructed from human auditory cortex activity using nonlinear decoding models (Plos Biology, 15 Aug 2023)
  14. An Iowa school district is using ChatGPT to decide which books to ban (ArsTechnica, 16 Aug 2023)
  15. Using Generative AI to Resurrect the Dead Will Create a Burden for the Living (Wired, 21 Aug 2023)
  16. ChatGPT costs $700,000 daily, maker may go bankrupt in 2024: Report (Business Standard, 13 Aug 2023)
  17. The new ‘Floating Workspace’ feature is finally beginning to show up in ChromeOS Canary (Chrome Unboxed; 21 August 2023)
  18. Google opens eSignature beta for Google Docs and Google Drive (TechCrunch; 9 August 2023)
  19. Surprise: Apple now supports California’s right-to-repair (The Verge; 23 August 2023)
  20. Apple has been working on Vision Pro since the first iPhone launched (9 to 5 Mac; 23 August 2023)
  21. NASCAR driver Noah Gragson suspended from racing due to social media conduct (CNN, 5 Aug 2023)
  22. The EU wants to cure your teen’s smartphone addiction (Politico, 16 Aug 2023)
  23. Bill Simmons, Alex Cooper, Emma Chamberlain and 36 More on The Future of Podcasting (Hollywood Reporter, 21 Aug 2023)
  24. Jason’s Geek of the Week: “Custom Instructions” from Reddit 
  25. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: “What Is The Internet” playlist – Student YouTubers – Oloigies [PODCAST] Neurotechnology (AI + BRAIN TECH) with Nita Farahany
ETHICS” (CC BY 2.0) by DannonL

EdTechSR Ep 301 Adjusting to AI

Welcome to Episode 301 (“Adjusting to AI”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 16, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) reflected on the evolution of social media and technology over the past 15-20 years. Neiffer suggested today’s social media allows for curation of information by finding creators to follow. He and Fryer aim to elevate the conversation and share interesting findings as “filters” for each other and listeners. The pair touched on Neiffer’s recent presentations about AI to various administrator groups. He suggested policies and ongoing conversations as AI integrates into society and classrooms. Several AI-related articles were discussed. One covered Pearson expecting revenue growth from AI, showing publishers are embracing the technology. The hosts considered how API access allows companies to easily implement AI like ChatGPT. They speculated customized AI could be trusted more when trained on a publisher’s proprietary material. An interview between Lawrence Lessig and Tristan Harris highlighted the need for thoughtful AI regulation given its power. Neiffer praised Claude AI for aiming to align with human rights. He recommended “constitutional AI” (like Claude.ai) that explicitly identifies its values for “alignment.” Other topics included Google’s aggressive AI research, ChatGPT custom instructions, Apple’s satellite emergency SOS, the end of free accounts on Wakelet, and a lawsuit by far-right activists over leaked identities. The hosts emphasized the importance of media literacy regarding AI and social media. For his “Geek of the Week,” Fryer shared examples of using ChatGPT for practical classroom tasks like spreadsheets and rubrics. Neiffer highlighted an AI tool called Upscale that enhances low resolution images. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Pearson eyes AI revenue growth but concedes some tools are imports of ChatGPT (Evening Standard; 31 July 2023)
  10. Project Gemini: Google wants to dethrone ChatGPT and others with yet another secret AI initiative (Chrome Unboxed; 16 August 2023)
  11. ChatGPT can now remember who you are and what you want (The Verge; 20 July 2023)
  12. Outstanding Larry Lessig #AnotherWay [PODCAST] “Taking Seriously The Threats Posed by A.I., with Tristan Harris”
  13. Family rescued from wildfires in Maui thanks to iPhone’s Emergency SOS via Satellite (9to5Mac, 9 Aug 2023)
  14. Wakelet Legacy & Premium Plans (Wakelet; 5 July 2025)
  15. Why has Wakelet introduced plans? (Wakelet)
  16. A better internet for readers (SubStack, 10 Aug 2023)
  17. Far-right Patriot Front members sue leftist activist for allegedly leaking their identities (Seattle Times, 8 Aug 2023)
  18. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: stelfiett.com – Personal ChatGPT Use Examples: Spreadsheet formulas – Assessment Rubric – AI Generated video with pictory.ai 
  19. Jason’s Geek of the Week: www.upscale.media
Galileo Supercomputer detail” (CC BY 2.0) by CINECA

EdTechSR Ep 300 Educators Eye AI Ethics

Welcome to Episode 300 (“Educators Eye AI Ethics”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 2, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) welcomed viewers to the milestone 300th episode of the EdTech Situation Room on August 2, 2023. They discussed technology’s rapid advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), and how educators can thoughtfully integrate new tools into the classroom. The hosts reflected on the show’s history analyzing educational technology news over 299 prior episodes. They outlined the main topics to be covered, including AI, tech policy, Apple, Google, social media, and their weekly “Geeks of the Week” recommendations. Jason and Wes delved into several Google Chrome updates, examining their implications for users and schools. They critiqued proposed regulations cracking down on tech giants in Canada and Europe as going too far in restricting online linking and personalized ads. However, the hosts agreed greater privacy protections are needed in the U.S. Shifting to AI, the hosts were excited by Claude, Anthropic’s new AI chatbot alternative to ChatGPT. They were impressed with Claude’s ability to mimic a user’s writing style when provided samples and to generate content based on analyzing uploaded PDFs. Jason and Wes discussed AI’s potential to transform assessments, emphasizing the need for educators to thoughtfully integrate it into their practice. They also covered several other AI topics, including ethical AI development, using AI in Hollywood productions, and the Worldcoin project linking cryptocurrency to biometric facial/retinal scanning. In closing, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including downloadable instructions for 6800 Lego kits and the Google Robotics Lab Segment of the July 28th New York Times Hard Fork Podcast. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. What Is Worldcoin? Here’s What To Know About The Eyeball-Scanning Crypto Project Launched By OpenAI’s Sam Altman (Forbes, 24 July 2023)
  10. Netflix Pulls AI Content Creation From Job Listing After Backlash (Newswekk; 31 July 2023)
  11. The Writers’ Strike Over AI Is Bigger Than Hollywood (The Markup; 29 July 2023)
  12. Google will ‘supercharge’ Assistant with AI that’s more like ChatGPT and Bard (The Verge; 31 July 2023)
  13. Dario Amodei, C.E.O. of Anthropic, on the Paradoxes of A.I. Safety and Netflix’s ‘Deep Fake Love’’ (New York TImes; 21 July 2023)
  14. OpEd: Lindsey Graham and Elizabeth Warren: When It Comes to Big Tech, Enough Is Enough (NYTimes, 27 July 2023) #GiftLink
  15. Meta loses battle in EU, will ask for consent to show personalized ads (ArsTechnica, 1 Aug 2023)
  16. Elon Musk’s Unmatched Power in the Stars (NYTimes, 28 July 2023) #GiftLink 
  17. Meta starts blocking news in Canada over law on paying publishers (Reuters, 1 Aug 2023)
  18. Google Chrome officially removing the download bar for a new tray UI (9to5Google, 2 Aug 2023)
  19. First look at the new Microsoft 365 Chromebook integration (About Chromebooks; 24 July 2023)
  20. ‘No sign’ Apple will launch generative AI in 2024, says Kuo (9to5Mac, 2 Aug 2023)
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: You Can Download Instructions for More Than 6,800 LEGO Kits for Free (LifeHacker; 29 July 2023)
  22. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Google Robotics Lab Segment, NYT Hard Fork Podcast (28 July 2023, at 40:00) – Mastodon share
Anders Sandberg on the Ethics of Uploadi” (CC BY 2.0) by david.orban

EdTechSR Ep 299 Truth Over Trickery

Welcome to Episode 299 (“Truth Over Trickery”) of the EdTech Situation Room from July 26, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and generative language models. They reviewed several articles, including concerns that ChatGPT is becoming less functional over time and may be losing capabilities. The hosts explored issues around copyright infringement and intellectual property regarding large language models trained on copyrighted content, sparked by comedian Sarah Silverman’s lawsuit against OpenAI. They dove into the implications of AI influencers, election interference threats, and new AI products like Anthropic’s Claude model and Google’s Notebook LM note-taking tool. Throughout, Jason and Wes emphasized the need for transparency and ethical principles in AI development. They argued homework and assessments may need to be reconsidered in light of generative language models. The hosts also covered social media trends, security issues, and the importance of media literacy. They promoted critical thinking and authentic creation in classrooms. In closing, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including the historical audio tour app autio.com, the “Airalo E-Sims” product for travelers, an upcoming free AI conference, and several upcoming edtech conferences with option presenter calls: NCCE 2024 and DLAC 2024. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. GPT-4 is becoming less functional (Ethan Mollick, Twitter)
  10. The Homework Apocalypse (Ethan Mollick, One Useful Thing; 1 July 2023)
  11. What to Know About Claude 2, Anthropic’s Rival to ChatGPT (Time; 18 July 2023)
  12. Claude 2
  13. AI learned from their work. Now they want compensation (Washington Post; 16 July 2023)
  14. NotebookLM is Google’s new AI-driven notes app that is official as of today (Chrome Unboxed; 12 July 2023)
  15. Apple Tests ‘Apple GPT,’ Develops Generative AI Tools to Catch OpenAI (Bloomberg; 19 July 2023)
  16. Intelligence nominee warns generative AI poses threat to 2024 elections (Politico, 20 July 2023)
  17. Fully AI-Generated Influencers Are Getting Thousands of Reactions Per Thirst Trap (Futurism, 20 July 2023)
  18. Digital Avatars and Our Refusal to Die (LongNow, 21 July 2023)
  19. ByteDance Releases CapCut Plugin For ChatGPT (Search Engine Journal, 15 July 2023)
  20. The Once and Future ISTE (eSchool News; 13 July 2023)
  21. Threads now has ‘tens of millions’ of daily users. But its honeymoon phase may be over (CNN Business; 19 July 2023)
  22. Twitter replaces its bird logo with an X as part of Elon Musk’s plan for a super app (NPR, 24 July 2023)
  23. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Autio and AI x Education Conference (Aug 5-6)
  24. Jason’s Geeks of the Week: Conference Presentation Opportunities at NCCE 2024 and DLAC 2024 – Travel pro-tip: Airalo E-Sims
The Making of Harry Potter” (CC BY 2.0) by Dave Catchpole

EdTechSR Ep 298 AI Overlords Loom

Welcome to Episode 298 (“AI Overlords Loom”) of the EdTech Situation Room from June 14, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed the past week’s technology news through an educational lens. In this week’s episode, Jason and Wes started by sharing their “Geeks of the Week,” including the Whisper voice transcription app and the link shortening service short.io. They then dove into recent Apple news, discussing the positive reviews of the new 15-inch MacBook Air and the dropping of support for many older Intel Macs in the upcoming macOS update. A good portion of the episode focused on AI developments, including Microsoft’s rushed integration of ChatGPT into Bing despite warnings from OpenAI, new AI regulations being developed in the EU, estimates that AI poses a 20-30% risk of catastrophe (P-doom), Amazon using AI to crack down on fake reviews, and more. Jason and Wes emphasized the need for thoughtful conversations and reasonable regulations around these powerful AI technologies. The hosts announced they would be taking a multi-week summer break. In the meantime, past episodes are still published across platforms like YouTube and podcast feeds. To find the hosts during the break, one could look for @techsavvyteach on Twitter for Jason and www.westfryer.com/after for Wes. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai.

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Let us serve you, but don’t bring us down (Archive.org blog; 29 May 2023)
  10. OpenAI reportedly warned Microsoft about rushing GPT-4 integration into Bing (Engadget; 13 June 2023)
  11. Amazon cracks down on fake reviews with AI (BBC; 12 June 2023)
  12. E.U. Takes a Step Closer to Passing the World’s Most Comprehensive AI Regulation (Time; 14 June 2023)
  13. The US Senate is working to get up to speed on AI basics ahead of any legislation (CNN Business; 8 June 2023)
  14. Adobe is so confident its Firefly generative AI won’t breach copyright that it’ll cover your legal bills (Fast Company, 8 June 2023)
  15. The best MacBooks for 2023: How to pick the best Apple laptop (Engadget; 13 June 2023)
  16. macOS Sonoma drops support for another wide swath of Intel Macs (Ars Technica; 5 June 2023) – OpenCore Legacy Patcher
  17. Here’s what Mark Zuckerberg thinks about Apple’s Vision Pro (The Verge; 8 June 2023)
  18. Apple’s Face Computer + Crypto Chaos + How Teens Really Feel About Social Media (Hard Fork Podcast, 9 June 2023)
  19. The best hidden ChromeOS features I use on my Chromebook (About Chromebooks; 13 June 2023)
  20. ‘Minecraft’ for ChromeOS leaves early access, works on more machines (Engadget; 7 June 2023)
  21. Dozens of popular Minecraft mods found infected with Fracturiser malware (ArsTechnica, 7 June 2023)
  22. Jason’s Geeks of the Week: https://short.io/ – https://mizage.com/divvy/ 
  23. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Whisperboard
Wide-angle view of the ALMA correlator” (CC BY 2.0) by European Southern Observatory

EdTechSR Ep 297 Exciting Apple Announcements

Welcome to episode 297 (“Exciting Apple Announcements”) of the EdTech Situation Room from June 7, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed the latest Apple announcements, including the new 15-inch MacBook Air with impressive features and an affordable price. They also explored the new Mac Pro and Mac Studio models, highlighting their upgradeability and performance capabilities. The unveiling of the Vision Pro, an augmented reality (AR) headset, sparked excitement about its potential applications in various fields. The hosts also touched on Apple’s entry into the virtual reality (VR) space, discussing its potential impact on education and other sectors. They further delved into the use of iPads in education, concerns about election misinformation on YouTube, the removal of malicious Chrome extensions, the risks associated with Chromebook extensions, and the challenges surrounding AI technology, particularly chatbots. The importance of media literacy and integrating lessons on AI and social media in classrooms was emphasized. In addition, Jason and Wes discussed the importance of clear rules and guidelines for device use in the classroom. They emphasized the need for effective classroom management in the digital age and suggested involving students in the conversation. They promoted interactive instruction and meaningful engagement with material. Wrapping up the episode, the hosts shared their “Geeks of the Week,” which included ChatPDF, Mark Rober’s recent commencement address at MIT, and a podcast episode about AI from Wes’ North Carolina school. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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: This summary was partly generated using summarize.tech.

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. A Chatbot Was Designed to Help Prevent Eating Disorders. Then It Gave Dieting Tips (WSJ; 1 June 2023)
  10. Can a chatbot help people with eating disorders as well as another human? (NPR; 24 May 2023)
  11. What will stop AI from flooding the internet with fake images? (Vox; 3 June 2023)
  12. OpenAI still not training GPT-5, Sam Altman says (TechCrunch; 7 June 2023)
  13. A professor accused his class of using ChatGPT, putting diplomas in jeopardy (Washington Post, 18 May 2023)
  14. Here’s What Happens When Your Lawyer Uses ChatGPT (NYTimes, 27 May 2023)
  15. Teachers are on the front lines of a battle to change how teens use social media (CNN Business; 3 June 2023)
  16. YouTube rolls back its rules against election misinformation (TechCrunch, 3 June 2023)
  17. Apple introduces the 15‑inch MacBook Air (Apple PR)
  18. Apple unveils new Mac Studio and brings Apple silicon to Mac Pro (Apple PR)
  19. Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro Headset Will Test Marketing Might (Bloomberg; 6 April 2023) – free from Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-debuts-3-499-vision-211946203.html 
  20. Malicious Chrome extensions with 75M installs removed from Web Store (Bleeping Computer, 2 June 2023)
  21. Google Assistant kills off support for third-party note apps (ArsTechnica, 1 June 2023)
  22. Jason’s Geek of the Week: www.chatpdf.com
  23. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Mark Rober tells MIT graduates to throw themselves into the unknown (MIT News, 1 June 2023) and “Demystifying A.I.” on From the Horse’s Mouth
First Mass Produced Apple Computer” (CC BY 2.0) by Jenn Durfey

EdTechSR Ep 296 Home Media Options

Welcome to episode 296 (“Home Media Options”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 31, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed different home media options including Chromecast, Apple Homepod, and the WalMart $20 Onn streaming box. and They also delved into the fascinating realm of AI, illustrating its transformative effects on a multitude of sectors like healthcare, finance, entertainment, and transportation. They navigated the complexities of the privacy concerns surrounding AI, highlighting the delicate balance between harnessing the power of AI and safeguarding personal information. The conversation naturally transitioned into the significance of AI in everyday life, demonstrating its influence from movie recommendations on Netflix to shopping suggestions on Amazon. The discourse then shifted to the widespread adoption of AI by businesses, underscoring the productivity and efficiency gains that AI promises by automating routine tasks. As a teaser for the next week, the hosts hinted at an upcoming discussion on how tech titan Apple is navigating the AI landscape. Our show is live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: This summary was partly generated with ChatGPT4 using youtubetranscript.com and the ChatGPT-specific chunking program chatgpt-prompt-splitter.jjdiaz.dev. (Full ChatGPT conversation available. It was actually not inclusive of our non-AI topics, so this final version was substantially edited.)

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Walmart’s $20 Onn Streaming Box
  10. A.I. Poses ‘Risk of Extinction,’ Industry Leaders Warn (NYTimes, 30 May 2023) – Gift Link
  11. Spotlight: AI Myths and Misconceptions (Your Undivided Attention Podcast, 11 May 2023)
  12. The Seven Deadly Sins of AI Predictions (MIT Technology Review; 6 October 2022)
  13. Here’s What Happens When Your Lawyer Uses ChatGPT (NY TImes; 27 May 2023) Gift Link
  14. Google has officially stopped supporting the first-gen Chromecast (Engadget, 31 May 2023)
    1. Good alternative: Walmart ONN Android TV Box
  15. Ex-Googler Answers Why Google Search is Getting Worse (Search Engine Journal; 30 November 2022)
  16. Surgeon General Warns That Social Media May Harm Children and Adolescents (The New York Times; 23 May 2023) Gift link
  17. How to Enable Advanced Data Protection on iOS, and Why You Should (EFF, 17 May 2023)
  18. Apple Plans to Launch More Than Just Its New Headset at WWDC (Bloomberg; 16 April 2023)
  19. Europe is ready to crack down on loot boxes and exploitative game mechanics (PC World, 18 Jan 2023)
  20. Loot boxes in online games and their effect on consumers, in particular young consumers (European Parliament’s committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, July 2020)
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: NOLEJ AI
  22. Wes’ Geek of the Week: GIS for CLT (Wakelet) and comingtothetable.org

EdTechSR Ep 295 Generative AI Tools in Education

Welcome to episode 295 (“Generative AI Tools in Education”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 24, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) offered insights into the intriguing world of AI, generative tools, and educational technology. They delved into the remarkable accessibility and affordability of AI tools, which is empowering individuals and small businesses to innovate at an unprecedented scale. The duo pondered the consequences of AI-generated content, stressing the importance of critical evaluation to discern the veracity of information while recognizing the potential for both positive utilization and nefarious exploitation. The conversation transitioned to the trailblazing capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-3, with the hosts eagerly awaiting its successor, GPT-4. They showcased OpenAI’s API, which enables developers to harness GPT’s prowess for their applications. The hosts also spotlighted temp-mail.org/en/, a nifty tool to create temporary email addresses to avert unwanted communication. Dr. Neiffer shared that he can be reached via Twitter as “@techsavvyteach,” and also on Blue Sky, while Wes Fryer is accessible at wesfryer.com/after. Furthermore, they announced that the EdTech Situation Room is a weekly podcast, normally airing on Wednesday evenings at 9 PM Eastern Time. Before wrapping up, they urged the audience to immerse themselves in generative AI tools, especially in areas of personal expertise, to unravel their implications. Stay savvy, stay safe, and continue exploring the boundless horizons of educational technology! The show is live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: This summary was generated with ChatGPT4 using the ChatGPT-specific chunking program chatgpt-prompt-splitter.jjdiaz.dev. (Full ChatGPT conversation available.)

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer Twitter: @wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. The government can’t seize your data — but it can buy it (TechCrunch; 21 May 2023)
  10. The True Cost of a Free TV – Telly TV (Wired, 17 May 2023)
  11. YouTube Will Start Showing 30-Second Unskippable Ads (Cord Cutter News; 17 May 2023)
  12. Google will start deleting inactive accounts after two years (ArsTechnica, 16 May 2023)
  13. Market dips briefly after AI image of fake explosion near Pentagon goes viral (The Hill; 22 May 2023)
  14. Newspaper Apologizes For Accidentally Running Deranged Ai-Generated Article (The Byte/Futurism; 16 May 2023)
  15. Using AI to Implement Effective Teaching Strategies in Classrooms: Five Strategies, Including Prompts (SSRN; 24 March 2023)
  16. On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots:Can Language Models Be Too Big? (Association for Computing Machinery, 2021)
  17. Fact Check Team: How will Montana’s TikTok ban work? (NBC Montana; 24 May 2023)
  18. Flipboard becomes first app to support Bluesky, Mastodon and Pixelfed all in one place (TechCrunch, 23 May 2023)
  19. Meta slapped with record $1.3 billion EU fine over data privacy (CNN, 22 May 2023)
  20. Wes’ Geek of the Week: The Seamless Clipboard
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: https://temp-mail.org/en/
ChatGPT circuit board” (CC BY 2.0) by focusonmore.com