S1 E01. AI in Education: Risks, Readiness and Relationships – with Zahra & Rick from Winning Scotland

What happens when you bring AI into the conversation without rushing to a quick fix? Zahra and Rick from Winning Scotland are holding space for local authorities, researchers and educators to explore the possibilities and the nuance of AI in Education. This isn’t about chasing the latest tool, it’s about understanding the best conditions for change.

What began with curiosity has grown into a two-phase initiative: first, understanding the sector’s readiness and the conditions for success; then, potentially exploring how AI tools might be used in practice.

They share the thinking behind their phased approach, the partnerships they’ve built, the surprising feedback from both education and tech sectors, and why they’re staying agnostic about outcomes. Along the way, they explore the tensions between urgency and caution, and the importance of keeping teachers, pupils, and relationships at the heart of any technological change.

In this episode:

• How an initial spark led to a national, collaborative exploration of AI in education

• Why “is AI ready for Scottish education?” might be the more important question

• The risks of skipping straight to products

• What they’ve learned from speaking to local authorities, unions and tech leaders

• Designing a process that hears all voices

• The role of values in guiding decisions through uncertainty
  

Referenced in this conversation:

• Winning Scotland’s work on Growth Mindset and Planet Youth

• Khan Academy

• Educate Ventures

• The Dots

• Scottish AI Alliance