Episode Details

• Date: 2026-02-16
• Duration: ~7 minutes
• Speakers: Leo Zhadanovsky (Host, Enterprise Technologist for Education at AWS), Gayathri Rengarajan (Guest, Associate Director of Data Science at PowerSchool)

Episode Summary

In this special re:Invent episode, Gayathri from PowerSchool shares the journey of building Power Buddy, an AI-powered learning assistant that evolved from a hackathon project to a full suite of products serving over 60 million K-12 students. The conversation focuses on implementing robust content filtering using fine-tuned models on AWS SageMaker, addressing student safety concerns while reducing false positives, and the future of agentic AI in education technology.

Key Discussion Points

• Evolution of Power Buddy from hackathon project to production suite
• Implementation of strict content filtering for student safety in AI interactions
• Challenge of balancing safety with reducing false positive notifications for administrators
• Fine-tuning smaller models (Llama 8B) for domain-specific content filtering

Featured Technologies

• Llama 8 billion parameter model
• AWS SageMaker AI

Key Takeaways

• Fine-tuning smaller models for specific educational use cases reduced false positive rates to less than 3%
• Technology stack and models should remain flexible while keeping security, reliability, and scalability constant
• Close collaboration with cloud providers accelerates AI implementation and optimization
• The future of EdTech AI is moving toward agentic systems with improved observability and evaluation capabilities

Resources Mentioned

• AWS SageMaker AI
• Llama model family
• AWS Agent Core
• AWS Bedrock

Tags

#EdTech #K12Education #AWS #AI #MachineLearning #StudentSafety #ContentFiltering #PowerSchool #SageMaker #AgenticAI #reInvent

Episode Details:

• Duration: ~29 minutes
• Host: Bret Pontillo
• Guests:
• Bharath Prabhakaran - VP and Chief Digital Officer, University of Cincinnati
• Josette Riep - AVP of Integrated Data Engineering and Application Services, University of Cincinnati

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Bret Pontillo sits down with two leaders from the University of Cincinnati to discuss their comprehensive digital transformation journey. Bharath Prabhakaran and Josette Riep share insights on modernizing a 200+ year old institution serving 54,000 students across three campuses. They discuss their four-pillar approach to digital transformation, including operational excellence, cybersecurity, modernization, and innovation through AI and data analytics. The conversation covers their implementation of modern data architecture using AWS, Snowflake, and Informatica, the launch of their AI enablement community of practice, and their vision for personalized learning experiences powered by agentic AI.

Key Discussion Points:

• Four-pillar digital transformation framework: operational excellence, cybersecurity/resiliency, modernization, and innovation
• Centralization of distributed IT operations across colleges and units
• Implementation of Bearcat Insights platform using AWS, Snowflake, and Informatica
• Launch of AI enablement community of practice with 75+ use cases submitted
• Development of Bearcat Portal as unified student experience platform
• Transition from data silos to integrated enterprise data strategy
• Building CMMC compliant research enclave on AWS
• Addressing the demographic cliff and enrollment challenges in higher education

Key Takeaways:

• Digital transformation requires focus on people, process, and technology - in that order
• Building trust with data owners is critical for breaking down data silos
• Innovation must come from the edge, not the center - community-driven approach works
• Change leadership and relationship building are essential in higher education governance
• Workforce upskilling is critical to prepare teams for AI-enabled future
• Personalized learning at scale will be enabled through agentic AI workflows

Resources Mentioned:

• University of Cincinnati "Next Lives Here" strategic direction
• CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)

Tags:

#HigherEducation #DigitalTransformation #AWS #DataStrategy #AI #EdTech #CyberSecurity #StudentExperience #Innovation #UniversityOfCincinnati #Bearcats #CloudComputing #ModernDataArchitecture

Episode Details:

• Duration: ~32 minutes
• Date: 2026-01-26
• Speakers: Bret Pontillo (Host), Ludo Francois (CEO & Founder, TrackIt), Brad Winett (President & Partner, TrackIt)

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Bret Pontillo sits down with TrackIt's leadership team to explore how system integrators are transforming education through AWS cloud solutions. Ludo Francois and Brad Winett share their journey from traditional infrastructure to cloud-native solutions, discussing how they're helping educational institutions leverage streaming media, AI, and custom applications. The conversation covers everything from virtual classroom technology to innovative partnerships with institutions like Epitech Paris, demonstrating how cloud technology is making education more accessible and engaging.

Key Discussion Points:

• TrackIt's evolution from storage infrastructure to AWS-focused system integrator
• Building custom streaming solutions for educational content delivery
• Monetization strategies for educational media (ad insertion, subscription models)
• Virtual classroom technology and student experience optimization
• Partnership model with Epitech Paris for hands-on AWS training
• AI applications in education (curriculum building, virtual tutors, automated testing)
• Custom video platforms as alternatives to YouTube for educational content

Featured Technologies:

• Amazon CloudFront
• AWS IVS (Interactive Video Service)
• Amazon ECS and EKS (Kubernetes)
• Custom CDN solutions
• AI/ML services for education

Key Takeaways:

• Cloud technology enables educational institutions to transition from in-person to virtual classrooms effectively
• Custom streaming platforms provide educators with full control over content monetization and user experience
• Hands-on, lab-based training programs accelerate cloud skills development for students
• AI is transforming education through personalized tutoring, automated assessment, and curriculum development
• Strategic partnerships between tech companies and educational institutions create symbiotic learning opportunities

Resources Mentioned:

• Trackflix (custom Netflix-like platform for education)
• Epitech Paris Graduate School of Digital Innovation
• AWS SkillBuilder
• TrackIt Medium articles
• TrackIt YouTube channel

Tags:

#EdTech #AWS #CloudComputing #StreamingMedia #VirtualClassroom #AIinEducation #HigherEducation #SystemIntegrator #DigitalTransformation #StudentExperience

Episode Details:

• Date: 2026-01-19
• Duration: ~27 minutes
• Speakers: Host - Bret Pontillo, Guest - Deepika Chopra (CEO & Founder of Alpha U AI, Author)

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Deepika Chopra, CEO and founder of Alpha U AI and author of "Move First, Align Fast," shares her insights on organizational alignment and AI adoption. Drawing from 15+ years in financial services and digital transformation, Deepika discusses why technology implementations fail despite having the best tools, and introduces frameworks for building trust-native AI systems. The conversation explores the critical gap between AI strategy and execution, focusing on the human side of technological change.

Key Discussion Points:

• The trust layer between AI strategy and execution
• Why pilots fail to reach production despite green dashboards
• Shadow AI and execution theater patterns in organizations
• The difference between ethical AI and aligned AI
• ACT framework: Align, Cultivate, Transform for measuring AI readiness
• Human AI Alignment Score (HAAS) for leadership decision-making
• Safe experimentation and execution advantage
• Education as the proving ground for responsible AI

Featured Technologies:

• Investment Intelligence Platforms
• AI Literacy Programs
• Human AI Alignment Score (HAAS)

Key Takeaways:

• Trust and adoption are more critical than technology accuracy for successful AI implementation
• The missing layer between strategy and execution is the trust layer built on clarity
• Organizations should measure behavioral signals, not just dashboard metrics
• Aligned AI focuses on "can we use this daily?" while ethical AI asks "should we use this?"
• Education institutions are uniquely positioned to build AI-ready infrastructure through skills and trust development

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: "Move First, Align Fast" by Deepika Chopra (Published by Wiley)
• Alpha U AI Platform
• ACT Framework (Align, Cultivate, Transform)

Tags:

#AI #DigitalTransformation #AWS #Education #OrganizationalAlignment #TrustInAI #EdTech #Leadership #ChangeManagement #AIAdoption

Episode Details:

• Date: 2026-01-12
• Duration: ~20 minutes
• Speakers: Pranusha Manchala, Bret Pontillo

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Pranusha and Bret dive deep into Amazon Q Business, AWS's most capable generative AI-powered assistant. They explore how educational institutions can quickly build custom AI applications using natural language, leverage Q Apps for personalized learning experiences, and integrate with 45+ data connectors. The discussion covers practical implementation strategies, security features, custom connector development, and flexible pricing models designed for education use cases.

Key Discussion Points:

• Amazon Q Business capabilities and quick setup process
• Q Apps for creating custom Gen AI applications without coding
• 45+ out-of-the-box data connectors including Gmail, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Google Drive
• Custom connector development using Q Developer and vibe coding
• Business actions for employee productivity and ticketing systems
• Consumption-based and subscription pricing models

Featured Technologies:

• Amazon Q Business
• Q Apps
• Amazon Bedrock
• Q Developer
• AWS Quicksight

Key Takeaways:

• Q Business applications can be built in hours, not weeks, with point-and-click integration
• Q Apps enable educators and administrators to create personalized learning tools using natural language
• Built-in security features include role-based permissions and topic filtering for education compliance
• Custom connectors can be developed quickly using vibe coding with Q Developer
• Flexible pricing options support both user-based subscriptions and consumption-based models for embedded applications

Resources Mentioned:

• Q Business Pricing Page
• Q Business Getting Started Guide (6-step process)
• AWS Documentation for Q Business

Tags:

#AWSEducation #EdTech #AmazonQBusiness #GenerativeAI #AIinEducation #HigherEducation #AWS #MachineLearning #DigitalTransformation #PersonalizedLearning

Episode Details:

• Date: 2026-01-05
• Duration: ~32 minutes
• Speakers: Brett Pontillo (Host), Nico Menciere (Guest - Senior Startup Solution Architect at AWS)

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Brett Pontillo sits down with Nico Menciere, a Senior Startup Solution Architect at AWS specializing in Web3 and FinTech companies. Nico provides an in-depth exploration of stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), and how blockchain technology is creating new opportunities in education. The conversation covers everything from the basics of Web3 to practical applications for educational institutions, including tuition payments, financial aid, scholarships, and content monetization in underserved markets.

Key Discussion Points:

• Introduction to Web3 and decentralized systems
• Evolution from Bitcoin to stablecoins and their role in reducing volatility
• Public vs. private stablecoins and their use cases
• Payment challenges in global education markets
• Decentralized finance (DeFi) and peer-to-peer financial systems
• Practical applications for educational institutions

Featured Technologies:

• Bitcoin and Ethereum
• USDC (Circle)
• USDT (Tether)
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Decentralized exchanges
• Smart contracts
• Blockchain infrastructure

Key Takeaways:

• Stablecoins enable financial inclusion for unbanked populations, particularly in developing countries
• Crypto payments can eliminate traditional banking barriers for international education access
• AI agents and micropayments through HTTP 402 protocol represent the convergence of AI and blockchain
• Educational institutions can accept crypto for tuition, scholarships, and content monetization
• Decentralized finance (DeFi) is maturing with new trading platforms and real-world asset tokenization
• Blockchain technology removes intermediaries, reducing fees and increasing transaction speed

Resources Mentioned:

• Circle (USDC issuer)
• Tether (USDT issuer)
• MCP servers
• Google A2P framework

Tags:

#Web3 #Blockchain #Stablecoins #EdTech #HigherEducation #AWS #DeFi #FinTech #AI #CryptoPayments #DigitalTransformation #Education #Innovation #DecentralizedFinance

Episode Details

• Date: 2025-12-29
• Duration: ~20 minutes
• Speakers: Pranusha Manchala (Host), Bret Pontillo (Co-host), Vanitha Sugumaran (AWS Solution Architect Leader)

Episode Summary

In this special episode recorded at the AWS DC Summit, Vanitha Sugumaran shares her inspiring journey from manufacturing at John Deere to leading AWS's Solutions Architect team. She discusses her leadership philosophy, the critical role of operational excellence, and how AWS supports EdTech companies through innovation and strategic partnerships. Vanitha emphasizes the importance of understanding customers deeply, building the right team culture, and preparing for the unique seasonality challenges in education technology.

Key Discussion Points

• Vanitha's unexpected transition from manufacturing to EdTech leadership
• The pivotal moment during COVID-19 that solidified her commitment to education technology
• Building and developing high-performing teams through hiring, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning
• The Product Acceleration Team's role in helping customers innovate faster
• How generative AI is augmenting rather than replacing teachers
• Strategies for managing EdTech seasonality (back-to-school preparation and quiet time innovation)
• The importance of operational excellence in reducing developer burden

Featured Technologies

• AWS Enterprise Support
• Well-Architected Framework
• Well-Architected Lens for Gen AI
• Generative AI solutions for education
• Data platforms and analytics

Key Takeaways

• Deep Industry Knowledge: Successful EdTech leaders must understand both their customers and their customers' customers
• Culture of Innovation: Organizations thrive when teams have mechanisms for knowledge sharing, adequate automation tools, and focus on operational excellence
• Teacher Empowerment: AI should save teachers 4-5 hours per week by automating undifferentiated work, allowing more one-on-one student time
• Proactive Partnership: EdTech companies should engage AWS teams early, especially before major rollouts during back-to-school season
• Leadership Development: Everyone is a leader - act like one, communicate aspirations clearly, and be open to feedback

Tags

#EdTech #AWS #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #GenerativeAI #HigherEducation #Innovation #OperationalExcellence #TeacherSupport #AWSEducation

Episode Details

• Date: 2025-12-22
• Duration: ~25 minutes
• Speakers: Pranusha Manchala (Host), Brett Pontillo (Host), James Kuhlke (Principal Solution Architect at AWS)
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Episode Summary

In this special episode recorded at the AWS DC Summit, James Kuhlke, a Principal Solution Architect at AWS, shares his insights on how AI is transforming education. With 6 years of experience working with strategic EdTech companies, James discusses the revolutionary impact of generative AI on both educators and students, emphasizing that AI will enhance rather than replace the human element in education.

Key Discussion Points

• AI's role in reducing administrative burden for educators while maintaining human connection
• How generative AI helps students understand career paths and skill mapping
• Assisted marking and standardized assessment grading for fairness
• Personalized learning through adaptive assessments and content
• Chain of thought prompting in mathematics education
• The importance of data quality in AI implementations

Featured Technologies

• Generative AI models
• Amazon Nova
• RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation)
• Knowledge bases

Key Takeaways

• AI will not replace educators but will free up time for more meaningful student interactions
• Generative AI can help students explore career paths and understand skill requirements before making decisions
• Assisted marking helps teachers maintain consistency and fairness across all student assessments
• Personalized assessments can be generated at multiple difficulty levels to meet students where they are
• Educators should embrace AI with students and ask them to critique AI outputs rather than trying to detect plagiarism
• Data quality is critical - poor data leads to worse hallucinations in AI systems

Resources Mentioned

• Amazon Nova
• Prompting guides for Claude and Nova
• Party Rock playground
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers

Tags

#AWSEducation #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEducation #AIinEducation #TeacherSupport #PersonalizedLearning #AWS #Innovation #EducationTechnology