Start With the Problem, Not the AI Tool with Victoria Lansdown of North Star AI Enablement

Victoria Lansdown is the founder of North Star AI Enablement, helping schools, Edtech companies, and nonprofits adopt AI in practical, human-centered ways. A former educator, she has led AI-for-educators programs at Google and contributed to UNESCO’s AI competency framework discussions.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. Why effective AI adoption starts with a problem, not a tool.
2. How educators can balance AI experimentation with meaningful guardrails.
3. Why AI policies need practical guidance and not just a policy document.
4. How schools and organizations can measure AI’s actual value and impact.
5. What specialized AI agents could mean for the future of Edtech.

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:02:56] Rethinking computer science education with generative AI
[00:05:32] AI as an equalizer: The equity questions around AI access
[00:08:18] Welcoming educator skepticism and moving beyond the “pro-AI vs. anti-AI” binary
[00:21:05] Why successful AI adoption starts with a problem, not a tool
[00:25:50] Building AI policies around both governance and implementation
[00:34:07] Creating psychological safety for responsible AI experimentation
[00:42:30] Starting small to build AI confidence and creativity
[00:49:41] The shift from general-purpose chatbots to specialized AI agents and experiences

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🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.

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