From Classroom to Congress: Examining AI's Societal Impact

On this episode of Digital Squared: From the Archives, we're revisiting a conversation with Ed Marx, Chief Digital Officer for Tech Mahindra Health and Life Sciences and formerly the CIO at Cleveland Clinic and NYC Health & Hospitals. Ed is full of enthusiasm, curiosity and drive, and he has used those tools to expand his own horizons and to act as catalyst to define the role of the post-modern CIO for the healthcare industry.

On this episode of Digital Squared: From the Archives, we're revisiting a conversation with Dr. Mike Dennin, Dean of Undergraduate Education and Vice Provost of Teaching and Learning at UC Irvine to discuss the latest trends in the using both data and technology to maximize student success.   

On this episode of Digital Squared: From the Archives, we're revisiting a conversation with Dr. Bradley Wheeler from Indiana University. He joins Tom for a thought-provoking conversation on the profound impacts of COVID-19 on our industry, the incredible acceleration it has created for the role of information technology in the university’s mission, and the once-in-a-generation opportunity for IT leaders to capitalize on.

On this episode of Digital Squared, Tom is talking to Steven Walters, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Breakout Learning, an educational technology company. Steven shares his fascinating journey from theater and storytelling to the world of ed-tech. He provides a unique perspective on the intersection of storytelling, technology, and education, showcasing how AI can enhance and scale certain aspects of learning while maintaining the crucial human elements of inspiration and connection.Together they discuss how Breakout Learning uses AI-powered discussion platforms to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and critical thinking in both higher education and workforce training. Steven emphasizes the importance of discussion as "the soul of learning" and explains how their platform aims to spark meaningful conversations that continue beyond the classroom. 

On this episode of Digital Squared, Tom is talking to Dr. Harold Schmitz. Harold has had an incredible career spanning academia, industry, and venture capital, with a focus on food science, nutrition, and innovation. He spent 25 years at Mars Incorporated, including as their Chief Science Officer, where he led groundbreaking research on cocoa and chocolate. Now Harold is a co-founding partner at The March Group, a venture capital firm investing in food tech startups. He's also a Senior Scholar at UC Davis, working to bridge the gap between industry and academia. Harold brings a wealth of knowledge about the food industry, emerging technologies, and how to drive meaningful innovation. 

On this episode of Digital Squared, Tom is talking to Luis Vargas, a tech industry veteran with a fascinating journey from his upbringing in Mexico to being on the cutting edge of AI. Luis talks about his 15 years at Microsoft, where he played a key role in the company's AI strategy and their partnership with open AI. Now as a co-founder and CTO of his own startup, Evolver, he's at the forefront of applying AI technologies to real world business challenges. We talk about Luis's career path, delve into Microsoft's lesser known early work in AI and discuss his unique insights into both the technical and human aspects of this transformative technology. 

On this episode of Digital Squared, Tom is talking to Julia Alexander, a pioneering leader in online education and master innovator in our industry. Julia is the Co-Founder of ExecOnline, a groundbreaking platform now recognized as one of the top EdTech companies globally. Julia provides us amazing insights on future-ready leadership, cultivating creativity and curiosity and adapting to rapid technological change. She offers a compelling vision for how we can navigate the evolving landscape of work and learning in our increasingly connected world.

On this episode of Digital Squared: From the Archives, we're revisiting a 2020 conversation with Dr. John Halamka from Mayo Clinic. He is currently president of the Mayo Clinic Platform, a digital initiative that brings together solution developers, data partners and healthcare service providers to transform healthcare.Together, Tom and Dr. Halamka discuss AI in patient care, ethical use of data and his 1% rule for making a huge impact.

On this episode of Digital Squared, Tom is talking to Dr. Jules White, a Professor of Computer Science and Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Generative AI at Vanderbilt University. Dr. White is at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into higher education, leading initiatives to democratize AI access across campus and developing popular courses on prompt engineering. With his unique blend of technical expertise and visionary thinking, Dr. White offers invaluable insights into how AI is reshaping education, careers, and society at large.

On this episode of Digital Squared, Tom is talking to Jeremy Schifeling, founder of The Job Insiders, which provides career technology training for hundreds of top universities and business schools around the world. He started his career as a kindergarten teacher but found his true calling in technology and innovation, where he went to work at companies like LinkedIn, Google and Khan Academy before venturing out on his own as a career coach and entrepreneur. His passion and focus is on helping people tap into the power of LinkedIn and ChatGPT, which he’s written about in several best-selling books. You can check out his latest career and AI hacks on LinkedIn.