AI for Everyone

Welcome back to AI for Everyone. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on a real, in-progress project from my AP Literature class. We're moving beyond theoretical discussions and essays to build interactive, conversational AI avatars.

My students are using OpenAI's Custom GPTs to create and interpret the robot characters from Nnedi Okorafor's fantastic novel, The Death of the Author. This isn't just a classroom exercise; it...

In this episode, Brett Hanson announces a new, more personal direction for the "AI for Everyone" podcast. Moving away from a rigid structure, the show will now focus on the real-world, everyday applications of AI in Brett's life as a teacher, writer, and consultant. He outlines five core priorities that will shape future episodes: student AI readiness, client workflow solutions, AI-powered writing projects, personal professional or...

In this episode, Brett sits down with veteran educator and virtual school leader Jamey Hill to deconstruct the process of building an AI implementation plan from scratch. Jamey shares her journey from being a Montessori-inspired teacher who believed "the hand is the tool that feeds the brain" to becoming a leader in shaping how schools can responsibly integrate artificial intelligence.

The conversation moves from the initial overwh...

This week's "AI in Focus" episode dives into the essential, human skill of "AI Taste." Brett defines taste as the critical ability to judge and discern quality in an age of infinite AI generation. He breaks down the five levels of AI proficiency—from the skeptical Sunbather to the architectural Diver—and provides a practical roadmap for listeners to cultivate their own AI taste, turning AI from a simple tool into a true co-creation...

In this AI in Focus episode, Brett Hanson dives deep into Mustafa Suleyman's essential book, "The Coming Wave," exploring the immense power and unprecedented risks of AI and synthetic biology. The discussion covers why this technological wave is different from all others, the "great dilemma" we face in navigating it, and the urgent need for a new mindset of containment and responsible stewardship. The episode concludes with an anal...

In this "AI in Education" episode, Brett sits down with Benita Gordon, a dynamic educator, entrepreneur, and founder of the Micro Learn Hub and Global Education Concierge. Benita shares her journey from a traditional classroom teacher to a leader in the microschool movement. The conversation explores the concept of the "AI-Powered Classroom," focusing on how AI can be used not to replace teachers, but to enhance their work by perso...

In this month's AI in Business episode, Brett is joined by co-host Andrew Kleidon, Marketing Manager at Quantum Technologies, to discuss how to reclaim your time through AI-powered productivity and workflow automation. They explore the latest business news, from the rise of Small Language Models (SLMs) to the critical learning gap causing large-scale AI projects to fail, and break down how everyday users, entrepreneurs, and small b...

This week on AI for Everyone, we're tackling one of the most complex and urgent questions in the digital age: who owns what you create with AI? This "AI in Action" episode dives deep into the legal and ethical maze of AI ownership, exploring why the simple act of writing a prompt doesn't make you a legal author. We break down the landmark court cases shaping the future of creativity and examine the high-stakes legal war over the co...

In this episode, host Brett Hanson provides a thorough comparison of the two leading AI platforms for the everyday user: OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Framed as a guide to developing your own AI "taste," the discussion breaks down how each platform performs on common tasks like creative writing, research, and image generation, helping listeners decide which tool best fits their needs. It also introduces the "AI is like wat...

In this episode, Brett Hanson sits down with Dylan Zaleski, an insightful voice on the intersection of AI and education. They explore the critical importance of embedding AI literacy into the K-12 curriculum to prepare students for a future workforce shaped by artificial intelligence. Dylan shares his personal "aha" moment with AI, sparking a conversation about the technology's potential to both widen and bridge opportunity gaps. T...

In this episode of 'AI for Everyone,' host Brett Hanson discusses the importance of ethical and practical use of AI across various roles. He begins with a cautionary tale of an individual's detrimental overdependence on AI chatbots, leading to isolation and neglect of real-life relationships. The episode introduces 'Perplexity AI' as a transparent AI tool for critical source interrogation. Brett then delves into Karen Hao's book 'T...

In this short episode, host Brett Hanson explains his shift from AI "enthusiast" to a more critical, "realist" perspective, exploring the practical integration of AI in education. He discusses the challenges and time commitment required to master new technologies, cautioning against "AI FOMO" (Fear of Missing Out) where the focus on tools overshadows the actual work. Using his personal journey through the ISTE certification process...

Episode 10 pulls back the curtain on the often-invisible aspects of artificial intelligence. We explore the critical topic of AI safety, not from a science-fiction perspective, but with practical steps every user can take to protect their data and privacy. We then move into a crucial and underreported topic: the "ghost workers" who power the AI systems we use daily. This global workforce is responsible for labeling data and moderat...

This episode tackles the turbulent legal and ethical landscape of artificial intelligence from 2022 to the present. Host Brett Hanson explores the fundamental paradigm shift in the AI conversation, moving from abstract principles to urgent, practical crisis management in the wake of generative AI's public release. The discussion delves into the core of the current legal turmoil: the collision between generative AI and intellectual ...

In this episode, Brett Hanson explores how to unlock the power of personalized AI with Custom GPTs, turning a general AI into your specialized assistant for teaching, business, or everyday tasks. He delves into advanced prompting strategies, including structured instructions, modular prompts, and chain-of-thought, all within the framework of the SWIMER method. The episode also demystifies AI by highlighting the "Beachcomber" level ...

In this episode, host Brett Hanson explores the practical impact of Artificial Intelligence on our daily lives and the broader economy in mid-2025. The discussion begins with a real-world story of a student who knows what she wants, but not what she needs. The episode features Google's Gemini as the "Tool of the Week," detailing its capabilities within Google Workspace for content creation, personalized learning, and research. A ke...

This episode explores how Google’s AI tools—like Gemini, NotebookLM, and Workspace integrations—are transforming classrooms by enabling deeply personalized learning, individualized support, and growing student autonomy. Brett shares real examples from teachers, including himself, using Gemini to scaffold writing, streamline planning, and build differentiated lessons. You’ll learn how students can now drive their own learning journe...

In this episode, we take a step back and ask: where are we really in our relationship with AI?

First, we break down the three leading AI platforms—ChatGPT-4o, Gemini 2.5, and Microsoft Copilot—and explain how each is evolving into an AI operating system: a full workspace where your writing, planning, communication, and analysis can happen seamlessly and intelligently. Then, we introduce a practical metaphor for AI adoption: AI is l...

In this episode, we explore how Microsoft Copilot is transforming business workflows, from cybersecurity in Peru to small-business advising in Jersey to global auditing at EY. You’ll learn how Copilot integrates seamlessly into Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint, and why its GPT-4-powered Pro version is outperforming competitors like Google Gemini. We introduce the SWIMER framework for prompting effectively and explain how...