Catching Up: Human Connection, AI Hive Minds, and the Skills Gap

Nate McClennen and Mason Pashia unpack a wide-ranging set of ideas shaping the future of learning, from AI "hive minds" and youth relationships with AI to portraits of a graduate, durable skills, and real-world learning. They explore what it means to prepare students for a non-routine economy where judgment, collaboration, agency, and ownership matter more than ever. Along the way, they highlight innovative school models, reflect on new research and reports, and consider how education systems can better connect technical skills, human development, and future-ready experiences. Outline (0:00) Intro (13:13) School Spotlights (20:52) Preparing Students for the Non-Routine Economy (31:34) Durable Skills & Experience Matters Report (37:20) Human Expression (40:56) What's That Song? Links Watch the full video here Artificial Hivemind: The Open-Ended Homogeneity of Language Models (and Beyond) Youth, AI, and the Relationships That Shape Them Good Riddance to Regents Exams? Or Will Ending Them Leave a Void for N.Y. Grads? The Academies Of Hampton Amp Lab at Electric Works The Pearl Arts Innovation Institute Amp Lab at The Refinery 3Rivers Federal Credit Union Banking Internship Humanist Essay Harvard Medical School

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Catching Up: Human Connection, AI Hive Minds, and the Skills Gap is an episode from Getting Smart Podcast by Getting Smart.

This episode is 44:04 long.

This episode was published on Apr 17, 2026.

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