Episode:
32
guest episode
May 29, 2025
Mark Daley: Thinking Machines & Education
AI in Education
Humanities in Education
Human Flourishing & Education
Listen or watch on your favourite platform
In this conversation, Mark Daly shares his journey from aspiring jazz musician to a prominent figure in AI at Western University. He discusses the importance of literature and diverse learning experiences in shaping his perspective. Mark reflects on philosophical insights from Dan Dennett, emphasizing the need for a careful approach to AI and its implications for society. He highlights the urgency of understanding AI’s rapid evolution and the importance of early education in this field.
This episode is brought to you by Education Perfect, a complete teaching and learning toolkit built to support Canadian classrooms. Education Perfect empowers educators to track progress, personalize learning, and support purposeful practice. Its tools are flexible and designed to help Canadian teachers amplify their impact in the classroom. See for yourself and book a free demo today at educationperfect.com.
This episode is brought to you by Education Perfect, a complete teaching and learning toolkit built to support Canadian classrooms. Education Perfect empowers educators to track progress, personalize learning, and support purposeful practice. Its tools are flexible and designed to help Canadian teachers amplify their impact in the classroom. See for yourself and book a free demo today at educationperfect.com.
book recommendations
"Monk and Robot" by Becky Chambers
These are two sci-fi novellas that:
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Envision a future where robots and humans peacefully coexist.
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Focus on human flourishing, meaning, and hope in a post-AI world.
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Emphasize quiet optimism and deep philosophical reflection.
About The Guest
Mark Daley
Mark is the Chief AI Officer at Western University and a full professor in the Department of Computer Science with cross-appointments in five other departments, The Brain and Mind Institute, The Rotman Institute of Philosophy, and The Western Institute for Neuroscience. He is also a faculty affiliate of Toronto’s Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
Mark has previously served as the Vice-President (Research) at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), and Chief Digital Information Officer, Special Advisor to the President, and Associate Vice-President (Research) at Western.
Mark is the past chair of Compute Ontario and serves on a number of other boards.
Mark has previously served as the Vice-President (Research) at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), and Chief Digital Information Officer, Special Advisor to the President, and Associate Vice-President (Research) at Western.
Mark is the past chair of Compute Ontario and serves on a number of other boards.
Sponsor Message: Education Perfect
Philosophical Reflection: “It Thinks”
Introducing the Guest and Initial Reflections
Mark Daley Joins the Podcast
Daley’s Academic and Executive Roles
Early Life and Music School Pivot
Childhood Curiosity and Love of Reading
Learning Interests and Interdisciplinary Thinking
Educational Regrets and Life Philosophy
Most Beautiful Recent Idea: Dan Dennett
Personal Correspondence with Dan Dennett
AI Personhood and the Intentional Stance
Public Understanding and Urgency of AI
GPT-3 as a Paradigm Shift in AI
Basics of AI and the Need to Interact
Why AI Must Be Studied in Schools
Teaching Values Through AI Use
AI as a Tool for Learning vs. Outsourcing
A Vision for Utopian AI Governance
Superintelligence and Human Meaning
Alignment Problem and Philosophical Limits
Superintelligence, Game Theory, and Nash Equilibrium
Rebutting the Paperclip Maximizer
Cognitive Agency and AI Reflection
Societal Impacts of AI Deployment
The Inevitability of Open-Source AI
Everyday Objects as AI Interfaces
Global Governance and AI Challenges
Education as Preparation for Meaningful Life
Universities as Humanistic Learning Hubs
Ubiquitous Intelligence and Social Connection
The Medium is the Message and Cognitive Offloading
Socrates 2.0 and The Choice to Learn
Designing an AI Course Rooted in Values
Risks of Hyper-Specialization in the AI Era
Back to Bloom: Personalized Learning for All
Reimagining the Classroom Experience
Soft Skills as the Future of Education
Educator Roles and AI in Daily Operations
Bottom-Up AI Innovation in School Systems
Including All Staff in AI Literacy
Teaching the Value of Struggle in Learning
A Conversational Interface Anyone Can Use
Magic Wand Vision for Education
Human-Only Skills and Evolutionary Connection
Book Recommendation: Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers
Closing Reflections and Podcast Credits
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