Debating Khan Academy’s Founder: Is AI Ruining Education?

Sal Khan is one of the most universally admired people in tech — a tutor who turned his makeshift online study guides for his young cousin into a free online education for 200 million people around the world. So when the Greenwich Public Library asked me to debate him on the role of AI in education, I knew that I wasn’t going to be getting into a fistfight with him on stage, but I also knew that we had very different experiences navigating the world of tech power, and that an audience might learn a lot about how that world works from our conversation. We wound up having what I consider a very thoughtful and very interesting discussion, moderated by a Dartmouth senior, in front of a live audience, and with the kind permission of the library, I’m sharing it with you here. Stay tuned for the audience Q&A at the end, which produced some of the sharpest stuff of the night, including a finance professional who couldn’t quite see why we’re all so worried about AI, and a dad of four kids under the age of seven desperate for advice on how to raise them. Also, give Greenwich Library a follow on YouTube — they were very kind in letting me distribute this talk, and they have a wide range of fascinating guests on offer! For more cutting-edge conversations and insights about the latest news in tech, power, and politics, subscribe to The Rip Current with Jacob Ward. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theripcurrent.com/subscribe