Speaking
Talks on AI, agency, and the future of how young people learn.
I speak about AI that builds human agency, and about how young people learn by making things.
Talk topics
Formats: keynote, workshop, panel, or podcast. Lengths: 20, 45, or 60 minutes. I tailor each talk to the audience.
Scaffold or Surrender? Designing AI That Builds Human Agency
Audience: Educators, edtech builders, and product leaders.
Does an AI tool do the thinking, or help a learner think? I show how to tell.
Takeaways
- —Why “AI should scaffold thinking, not surrender it” is a design constraint, not a slogan.
- —A test for whether a tool builds or bypasses capability.
- —Patterns that keep the struggle where learning happens.
What Kids Build Changes Who They Become
Audience: School leaders and parents.
Building something real changes what a young person believes they can do.
Takeaways
- —How building shapes a young person's identity and agency.
- —Busywork projects versus consequential ones.
- —Why earned confidence outlasts praise.
From Interest to Capability: The Future of Project-Based Learning
Audience: Educators and program designers.
How a young person moves from what they love to real capability.
Takeaways
- —A repeatable arc from interest to a useful project.
- —How to design projects that build transferable skills.
- —Where AI helps and where it gets in the way.
Beyond Prompting: What Young People Actually Need in an AI-First World
Audience: Policymakers, funders, and education leaders.
Prompting is a skill, not an education.
Takeaways
- —Why prompt fluency is necessary but not sufficient.
- —Capabilities that keep their value as AI improves.
- —What schools and families can start now.
How to Design AI That Leaves the Learner More Capable
Audience: AI product teams and founders.
A working session on AI that strengthens human agency.
Takeaways
- —Design principles for capability-building AI.
- —Failure modes that erode agency.
- —How to look for evidence of real learning.
About me
I am the founder of SayMake. I spent 20 years building software, data, and ML systems at Apple, Microsoft, and Salesforce. I speak about AI that builds human agency.
More bios and headshots: press kit.
Inquiries and appearances
Have an event in mind? Get in touch.