What is school for in the age of AI?

About this episode

In this episode, Svenia Busson and Laurent Jolie speak with Chris Bush, an Australian teacher, school leader, and Churchill Fellow exploring how artificial intelligence can make education more equitable and human.

Chris shares how he built Mitch, an empathetic AI tutor that answered 1,500 student questions in one night—proving that well-designed AI can extend teachers’ reach while caring for students’ wellbeing. His story of Ahmed, a student who doubled his grades thanks to Mitch, reveals AI’s potential to bridge learning gaps for those who can’t afford private tutoring.

The conversation dives into insights from Chris’s Churchill Fellowship report on equitable AI in education, uncovering disparities between rich and poor schools, and between the global North and South. They discuss inspiring models like Chicago’s teacher-driven AI policy, the Alpha School in Texas, and national approaches in Finland and Estonia.

Together, they reflect on a deeper question: What is school for in the age of AI?

From redefining teacher roles to amplifying student voice, they imagine a future where AI supports—not replaces—human relationships, creativity, and critical thinking.

Here are some of the insights Chris shared:

Chris Bush’s AI playbook and report on Equitable AI in Education (Churchill Fellowship) www.chrisbushai.com

PlayLab (AI tools for teachers) https://www.playlab.ai/ to create Chatbots like "Mitch"

Oxford University’s AI Community of Practice (AI COP Oxford) led by Dr Sara Ratner https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13399032/

“Thrive” a book by Valerie Hannon : https://www.amazon.com.au/Thrive-Purpose-Schools-Changing-World/dp/1108819974

AI for Education an organization training educators to AI literacy topics in the US (https://www.aiforeducation.io/)

Report re: global disparity in AI use: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/aiei/ai-diffusion/msockid=3043950b234760192cb984bd274766c4