Dec 18, 2025
AI in Education’s
Christmas Special: Hallucinations, Headbands, and Bad
Ideas
In this end-of-year Christmas special, Ray and Dan squeeze in
one final episode to reflect on a whirlwind year in AI and
education - with a healthy dose of festive chaos.
They unpack the latest AI news, including Australia’s National
AI Plan, OpenAI’s Australian data centre and teacher certification
course, major university rollouts of ChatGPT, and global
experiments like nationwide AI tools in schools and targeted
funding for AI-assisted teaching.
But this episode quickly moves beyond policy and platforms
into something more fun - and more unsettling! Ray challenges Dan
with a “Real or Hallucinated?” quiz featuring AI products that may
(or may not) exist, from focus-monitoring headbands and robot
teachers to pet translators and laugh-track smart speakers.
Along the way, they explore what these products reveal about
current AI practice, the risks of anthropomorphising technology,
and why education must keep humans firmly at the centre of learning
- even as experimentation accelerates.
It’s a light-hearted but thoughtful way to wrap up 2025, and a
reminder that just because AI can do something, doesn’t always mean
it should.
News Items in the episode
Tech companies advised to label and 'watermark' AI-generated
content
El Salvador announces national AI program with Grok for
Education
Hong Kong schools to get HK$500,000 (about AU$100K/ US$65K)
each under AI education plan
OpenAI to open Australian hosted service
OpenAI ChatGPT for Teachers foundations course
La Trobe chooses ChatGPT Education
Australia's Nation AI Plan