Sidestepping AI’s ‘Nasty, Unintended Consequences’
With guest Pat Yongpradit
Pat Yongpradit has been the face of Code.org for a dozen years and is a prominent, worldwide AI literacy leader. Just this month, he’s also taken on a big new leadership role at Microsoft. We we know why he's in demand: He's bracingly clear eyed about the challenges educators face in 2026 and beyond. His “6-7” predictions for 2026 suggests AI will urther distance strong performers from weaker ones–hardly a win for equity. But in this conversation with Jeremy and Betsy, he offers a path for skirting this and other “nasty unintended but not unexpected consequences."
Pat Yongpradit
Pat Yongpradit is the General Manager of Global Education and Workforce Policy for Microsoft. Previously, he spent more than a dozen years with Code.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting AI and computer science education as the Chief Academic Officer. He has also been the lead of TeachAI, a global initiative that guides education leaders in reimagining education in the age of AI. His work has spanned curriculum and professional learning, school outreach, policy and government affairs, and international development. Before becoming a global voice for K-12 computer science and AI education, he taught for 13 years, inspiring students to create mobile games and apps for social causes and broadening participation in computer science among underrepresented groups. He was featured in the book, “American Teacher: Heroes in the Classroom,” and has been recognized as a Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Educator. He has earned certifications in biology, physics, math, health, and technology education. Although Pat currently spends most of his time in education policy conversations, he still finds ways to sneak into the classroom.
Lots to explore!
Want to explore more about the ideas we discussed in this episode of Future Fluent? Check out these segments:
Pat Yongpradit’s website with a number of videos, including a discussion with ISTE’s Joseph South, Khan Academy’s Kristin DiCerbo, and ETS’s Narmeen Makhani on AI and the future of education
Teach AI’s Draft AI Literacy Framework
Organizational Jazz: New Ways to Work Adapting in the Flows of Change, by John Seely Brown, Tom Winans and Ann Pendleton-Julllian
Technology and the Rise of Great Powers: How Diffusion Shapes Economic Competition by Jeffrey Ding
Tools and Weapons: The promise and the peril of the digital age by Brad Smith – and the podcast, “Tools & Weapons”
Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft’s Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone by Satya Nadella
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins
