Dan'l Lewin: Reinventing education in the AI era

Have you ever talked to an architect of the digital revolution that shaped our world? We spoke with early-stage Apple alum Dan'l Lewin, who took us on a remarkable journey from the dawn of personal computing to our AI-powered present while offering rare insights as someone who helped bring the first computers into America's classrooms. Growing up in upstate New York with a second-grade teacher who taught him binary math, Dan'l's path led him to Silicon Valley in 1976 where he ended up working next door to Steves Jobs and Wozniak. After joining Apple during the development of the Lisa system (precursor to the Macintosh), he spearheaded their strategy to introduce Apple computers to universities before they conquered the broader market. Our conversation with Dan'l explores how computing evolved over two distinct 25-year periods: from 1975-2000, when computers optimized rational tasks with limited connectivity; to the post-1997 era when the web transformed everything into interconnected systems. Dan'l talks about where AI fits in this historical arc and suggests that, much like early computing, AI's initial impact will mostly happen behind corporate firewalls before reshaping society as a whole. Dan'l also examines what AI means for human learning and development. He presents AI as potentially "a personal GPS for every learner" that could reroute students when they make errors, but also worries about what happens to deep-thinking in an era of instant, surface-level answers. For educators, technologists, and anyone concerned about our collective future, our conversation with Dan'l offers a perspective from someone who has witnessed (and shaped) the way technology has transformed how we learn, work, and connect. Learn more about Dan'l Lewin:computerhistory.org/profile/danl-lewin-2linkedin.com/in/dlewin1aiEDU: The AI Education Project aiEDU.org linkedin.com/company/aiedu/

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