#154: Learning, Jobs & Your Future

Welcome to the 154th edition of EducationNext, your weekly guide to the ideas and innovations shaping education, work, and society.

This week, we dive into AI’s transformative role in K–12 classrooms, workforce readiness, and creative problem-solving, alongside bold visions for redefining jobs and careers in an AI-driven world.

Explore how AI is empowering educators, equipping students, and challenging traditional norms—from classrooms to boardrooms. Let’s get started.

1. Andrew Ng’s Kira Learning: AI-Native Education for K–12

Andrew Ng, AI pioneer and co-founder of Coursera, is revolutionizing K–12 education through Kira Learning’s AI-native platform, launched April 23, 2025.

Unlike retrofitted tools, Kira integrates AI into lesson planning, grading, tutoring, and analytics, freeing teachers to focus on personalized instruction.

• Impact: Automates repetitive tasks, delivers real-time student insights, and supports STEM, humanities, and CTE.

• Standout Feature: AI tutors adapt to students’ needs and emotional states, offering instant feedback on essays, videos, and more.

• Growth: Adopted nationwide, including a Tennessee statewide rollout, with global expansion underway.
  “AI is quietly reshaping K–12 education,” says Ng. Kira empowers teachers and students to thrive.

2. Trump’s Executive Order: AI Education for America’s Future

On April 23, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order to integrate AI education into K–12 schools, aiming to prepare students for an AI-driven economy.

• Key Initiatives: AI courses and certifications for high schoolers, teacher training grants, and a White House AI Education Task Force.

• Goal: Equip students to compete globally, with partnerships fostering apprenticeships and research.

• Why It Matters: “AI is the way to the future,” Trump said, emphasizing America’s tech leadership.

This bold move signals AI literacy as a core skill for the next generation.

3. The Cost of Politeness: How “Please” Impacts AI’s Bottom Line

Did you say “please” to ChatGPT today? OpenAI’s Sam Altman says polite prompts from 350 million weekly users cost tens of millions in electricity and compute power annually.

• Why: Polite words add tokens, increasing processing demands. A single GPT-4o query uses 0.3 watt-hours—small, but massive at scale.

• Cultural Shift: 67% of Americans use courteous language with AI, some fearing sentient backlash, others aiming for better responses.

• Insight: Polite inputs can improve AI performance by 15.6%, but at a higher energy cost.

4. Ian Beacraft’s Vision: Creative Generalists in an AI World

Ian Beacraft, Chief Futurist at Signal and Cipher, redefines work in the AI era. Forget rigid job descriptions—AI empowers “creative generalists” who adapt across tasks, disrupting traditional career ladders.

• Key Idea: AI abstracts expertise, enabling workers to tackle junior-level tasks without years of training.

• Who’s at Risk: Junior employees and middle managers face disruption, while adaptable generalists thrive.

• Quote: “Jobs are dead. Long live work,” Beacraft says, urging a focus on skills over roles.

5. Microsoft’s Frontier Firms: Humans and AI Agents Redefine Work

Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index introduces “Frontier Firms,” where AI agents and humans collaborate to close productivity gaps.

• Trends: 76% of Hong Kong leaders plan to expand AI agent use, automating workstreams like customer service.

• New Role: Every employee is an “agent boss,” managing AI to amplify impact.

• Future: 30% of teams will train AI agents within five years, accelerating careers and creating new roles.

6. Zepto’s Aadit Palicha: From WhatsApp to $5B Unicorn

At 22, Aadit Palicha built Zepto, India’s 10-minute grocery delivery unicorn, valued at $5 billion. Starting as a pandemic-era WhatsApp group, Zepto’s customer-centric innovation shows how scrappy ideas can scale.

• Journey: From a 72-hour prototype to a hyper-local e-commerce giant.

• Lesson: “We were just hacking around,” Palicha says, emphasizing iteration and customer focus.

• Impact: Redefining grocery delivery with speed and scale.

A masterclass in entrepreneurial grit for young innovators.

7. Akshay Kothari’s Pulse: From Stanford Project to $90M Exit

Akshay Kothari turned a Stanford class project into Pulse, a news app acquired by LinkedIn for $90M.

• Spark: Built in 11 weeks under Launchpad’s constraints, Pulse rode the iPad’s 2010 launch wave.

• Luck + Hard Work: Steve Jobs’ keynote shoutout and Stanford’s ecosystem fueled success.

• Lesson: “Constraints drive innovation,” Kothari says, urging founders to act fast and embrace timing.

Inspiration for students and aspiring entrepreneurs.

8. Cluely AI: The Controversial Tool to “Cheat on Everything”

Cluely AI, founded by 21-year-old dropouts, raised $5.3M for an undetectable AI tool that aids in interviews, exams, and sales calls.

• What It Does: Provides real-time answers via an invisible browser window, boasting $3M in ARR.

• Debate: Cluely calls it the next calculator; critics say it undermines trust in education and hiring.

• Quote: “The best problem-solver is now the one who asks the right question.”

A polarizing startup sparking ethical questions about AI’s role.

9. Sarabjeet Sachar: Land Your Dream Job Without a Resume

Sarabjeet Sachar, CEO of Aspiration, secured five jobs over 40 years without a resume, emphasizing value-based connections over buzzwords.

• Insight: 91% of hiring managers prioritize values; 45% reject AI-generated resumes for lacking authenticity.

• Strategy: Build genuine relationships and pitch your unique value, like a CEO seeking solution providers.

• Takeaway: Your dream job lies in storytelling, not just a resume.

A fresh approach for young professionals navigating a crowded market.

10. AI Agents: Your New Digital Co-Workers

AI agents—autonomous, goal-driven tools—are reshaping work by handling tasks from sales to HR.

• Examples: Microsoft’s 365 Copilot summarizes meetings; Artisan’s Ava closes sales deals.

• Trend: HR and teaching benefit as agents free humans for strategic, creative work.

• Future: AI agents augment teams, letting humans focus on relationships and innovation.

The workplace is evolving—AI agents are leading the charge.

88 thought Leaders - weekly feature

Until next Sunday,
Priyanka

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