Wielding the Power of GEN AI Like a GREEN LANTERN

I recently returned from the Future of Learning Hong Kong (FOLHK) conference, and I have to be honest—the energy in that room was different.

If you’ve never been, FOLHK isn’t just a conference; it’s a community. It’s a gathering of educators who are genuinely trying to redesign what school looks like, rather than just polishing the old model. I want to give a massive shoutout to Ed Chang, Levent Erdoğan, and the entire committee. They didn't just organize an event; they built a space where we could actually connect, learn, and grow.

I was invited to give a "Micro Keynote," and I decided to take a risk. Instead of just talking about tech tools, I talked about my own childhood insecurities.

You can watch the full micro keynote below, or read on for the summary.

I stood on stage and admitted that for years, my own "origin story" was defined by crippling self-doubt and a belief that I wasn't cut out for creativity. I compare this struggle to the Green Lanterns, who wield rings of infinite power that are useless without the willpower to control them—a perfect metaphor for how we’re handing Generative AI to students today. Here is the hard truth: without the right mindsets, AI doesn't amplify human potential, it just replaces it with average, robotic output. I break down how we can use Design Thinking to ensure students remain the "pilots" of this technology, using empathy to drive the machine rather than letting the machine drive them. Ultimately, this talk is about helping students write their own transformative endings, ensuring technology serves their humanity rather than erasing it.