The Gates Foundation recently pledged $1 billion over two years for AI efforts, with a large share going to education. Why the big AI push, even as Bill Gates warns of the technology's possible downsides for society? And what does the foundation see as the most effective uses of AI in education, and how is it guarding against unintended consequences?Articles mentioned this episode:“<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/technology/bill-gates-ai-foundation-funding.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gates Foundation Pledges $1 Billion to Combat A.I. Inequality</a>,” in The New York Times.“<a href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/work/make-ai-work-for-everyone/reader/the-year-ahead-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer">The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical,</a>” by Bill Gates.“<a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/can-ai-improve-intro-courses-a-new-courseware-project-hopes-so?sra=true" rel="noopener noreferrer">Can AI Improve Intro Courses? A New Courseware Project Hopes So,</a>” in The Chronicle of Higher Education.“<a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w35620" rel="noopener noreferrer">One Click Away: AI Tutoring with Khanmigo in a Two-Year School Experiment,</a>” at the National Bureau of Economic Research. &nbsp;
EPISODE CREDITS: Reported and produced by Jeff YoungMusic by Komiku©Copyright 2026 Learning Curve Productions LLC

The Gates Foundation recently pledged $1 billion over two years for AI efforts, with a large share going to education. Why the big AI push, even as Bill Gates warns of the technology's possible downsides for society? For this episode, Jeff talked with Patrick Methvin, interim president of U.S. programs at the Gates Foundation, who argues that the foundation can play a unique role as a bridge between educators and frontier AI labs. So what does the foundation see as the most effective uses of AI in education, and how is it guarding against unintended consequences?

Why the Gates Foundation Is Betting on AI in Education

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