Eps.81 | Pioneering AI-first education: IE University's Francisco Aragonés on building the Swiss Army knife for intelligent learning

One month after ChatGPT launched, IE University's CEO issued an institutional statement: AI is "here for the rest of our lives". Since then, Chief Data Analytics Officer Francisco Aragonés has led their systematic approach to embedding AI across education. The results? Higher student engagement, improved grades, and a blueprint for how educational institutions can adopt AI whilst keeping humans at the centre. Tim Bond explores how IE University built what Francisco calls a "Swiss Army knife" of AI tools, from Socratic dialogue chatbots that develop critical thinking to AI tutors extending professors' reach beyond the classroom.Guest bioFrancisco Aragonés is Chief Data Analytics Officer at IE University in Spain, where he leads AI implementation across all educational programmes. With a background spanning data analytics and educational technology, Francisco oversees the development of multiple AI artifacts designed for different pedagogical needs. Under his leadership, IE University has become a model for AI adoption in higher education, achieving measurable improvements in student outcomes whilst maintaining the human connection essential to learning.Timestamps00:00:00 Introduction to AI in education at IE University00:02:30 CEO's decisive AI statement one month after ChatGPT00:05:15 The Swiss Army knife approach to educational AI tools00:08:45 Building Socratic dialogue chatbots for critical thinking00:12:20 AI tutors extending professor availability00:16:00 Measuring impact: engagement rates and grade improvements00:19:30 Change management: bringing faculty on the journey00:23:15 Addressing academic integrity and AI detection00:27:00 Student feedback systems using rubrics00:31:30 Agent hierarchies adapting to student queries00:35:45 Making quality education globally accessible00:39:20 Preparing students for AI-enhanced workplaces00:43:00 Future vision for AI in education00:46:30 Practical implementation advice for institutions00:49:00 Closing thoughts on human-centred AI educationResources and links• Francisco Aragonés on LinkedIn – Chief Data Analytics Officer at IE University• Tim Bond on LinkedIn – Podcast host and enterprise technology expert• IE University – Leading institution for AI in education• The Swiss Army Knife of Educational AI: Empowering Faculty with Modular Tools for Pedagogical Augmentation• ChatGPT in Education Resources – OpenAI educational guidelines• EU AI Act – Regulatory framework mentioned in discussion• Socratic Method in Digital Learning – Educational methodology researchWant to teach your team to build their own AI agents that act like teammates, boosting productivity, quality, and job satisfaction? Get your FREE AI Acceleration Report (for listeners with teams of six or more), a quick team survey and consultation that maps priority workflows, time saved and ROI from an AI upskilling programme. Visit Cogniscale.com and enter promo code PODCAST.Follow the podcast• Apple Podcasts• Spotify• LinkedIn: Enterprise Thought LeadershipContact: [email protected]

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