The GSV Big 10: Qatar Hero?
TIME to do your homework, Joe knows, AI or Die...
Chart of the Week
The Big 10:
Qatar and China Are Pouring Billions Into Elite American Universities | The Free Press
Varsity Blues was bad. As former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said, those people were born on third and thought they could steal home. We’re sure the $29 billion that came from foreign sources to universities from 2021-2024 was just to give a nod of the hat to the great academic work that was being done. Or, perhaps, not-so-subtle bribes to buy influence, access, and credibility.
☀️EP. 5 · Diana Diaz-Harrison: Founder & CEO, Arizona Autism Charter Schools | Edreform in 10
I had the opportunity to interview Diana Diaz-Harrison in conjunction with Secretary McMahon’s visit to her Arizona Autism Charter School. Faced with having an autistic son and poor options with which to educate him, she did what any great entrepreneur would do and started her own school. Today, Arizona Autism Charter Schools serves over 800 students. Good news for other families with children with special kids, Diana is joining the Trump administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education, a position that puts her in charge of guiding policy for the >7 million US students with special needs.
Learning at the Speed of Light: A Conversation with Michael Moe | Educate AI
Yours truly discussing how people will have the opportunity to learn at the speed of light. I covered how AI enables this as well as the challenges it provides. To learn more, you’ve got to read the article!
Joe Lonsdale on AI in Education | Modern Wisdom by
Chris Williamson hosted my friend and one of the world’s great thinkers, Joe Lonsdale, on his uber-popular podcast this week (check out Joe’s episode of Ed on the Edge here). Joe is truly a renaissance man—a world class entrepreneur, technologist, strategist, policy architect—and yes, even chess champion. Listen to the UATX cofounder’s thoughts on education…spoiler alert: he points to personalized learning, including includes specialized areas of study, how they’re studied, and the settings in which students study them. Not surprisingly, Alpha School is highlighted as a case study of disruption.
UAE’s new AI Academy to shape tech leaders | Dubai Eye
The UAE has been way out in front when it comes to investing in AI. Look no further than G42, with its 25,000 employees focused on developing and deploying AI technologies across the nation’s economy. Our friend Sheikh Nahyan oversaw the launching of its AI academy for executives, government officials, and other leaders. The initiative is meant to position the UAE as a global hub for AI innovation and excellence.
How TIME and Statista Determined the World’s Top EdTech Companies of 2025 | TIME
One of these things must be true: there are too few great education technology companies, or TIME didn’t do their homework.
BYJU’s: bankrupt.
2U: bankrupt.
Pluralsight: bankrupt
There are several other companies on the list whose rankings are hard to fathom. We see the value of lists, but unfortunately this one fell short. Check out the GSV 150 here.
ADVANCING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EDUCATION FOR AMERICAN YOUTH | The White House
Just under the wire of the first 100 days, President Trump put out an executive order, titled “Advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth.” While students are already AI Natives compared to their AI-Immigrant teachers and parents, prioritizing AI expertise strikes us as good policy.
Duolingo is going to be AI-first | Luis Von Ahn
Luis is not messing around. Going forward at Duolingo, all processes that can be done by AI will be done by AI – from small tasks to full-blown roles. There are plenty of naysayers responding to this memo, claiming that they will be deleting their accounts in protest. Practically speaking, I guess these people will abandon all modern technology products that they’ve come to depend on and love...all serious companies will be taking this approach to AI in short order. This reminds us a bit of the people who said they were leaving America after the 2016 election…the only one I can think of who followed through with their threat is Rosie O’Donnell.
The Birth of the Data Grid | Dash Media /
Knowledge arbitrage is dying. Just as the power grid removed friction from energy consumption, the data grid will streamline the utilization of data. When everyone ends up with the same tool kit with all the world’s perfect information universally available, the question becomes how to use it. The “knowledge explorers” of the future will be the ones who capture the bounty of this new world.
"Machines Will Not Take Our Sovereignty" · 🎙️ Ep. 43 · Minerva Founder & CEO Ben Nelson | Ed on the Edge
Ben has been out front in envisioning how people will learn more effectively in the future through a global lens. As a seasoned and successful technology executive and pioneer, he understands both the power and the limitations of technology. Fortunately, we can take a collective breath—Ben isn’t in the camp that believes we’ll all end up working for machines.
BONUS: TheLinkU and Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment Launch Custom Financial Education Program for College Athletes | Yahoo! Finance + ASU launches SPORTx, a new initiative to unite sports and entrepreneurship | ASU News
We’ve been ahead of this trend for a while…(see here, here, here, and here)
but the drum beat is getting louder, and the message is crystal clear. College sports & cash have collided, and while what will come out of it is TBD, we know it certainly will be unrecognizable from the past.