Name: Start a Conversation, Not an Accusation: Ditching the AI "Gotcha" Culture
Start: 2026-09-19T13:50:00-0700
End: 2026-09-19T14:50:00-0700

Start a Conversation, Not an Accusation: Ditching the AI "Gotcha" Culture

Saturday September 19, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm PDT

AI deployment in education has been dominated by fear and far-too often biased “AI detection” tools. But at ABCUSD, we’ve found that the real breakthrough isn’t in the software –it’s in the Human Intelligence (HI) that guides it. This session pulls back the curtain on our district’s ongoing journey to move AI from a scary plagiarism machine to a transparent partner in the classroom. We’ll discuss how we’re moving beyond reactive “gotcha” approach to build a proactive “we’ve got you” framework that leverages AI to support the "cognitive struggle" of learning. By focusing on trust over surveillance, we’ve empowered our leaders, teachers and students to remove the taboo of AI use and start being the architects of a new, transparent academic culture.

We’re not just talking theory; we’re sharing the tools we’ve built to "practice what we teach." You’ll get a hands-on look at our AI Trust and Transparency System, including our Transparency Badges and the "AI Trust You" workflow designed to keep the human element at the center of the work. We will share the practical lessons learned from our community roundtables and the evolution of our "boots on the ground" tech leadership model. Attendees will walk away with a ready-to-implement roadmap for creating guardrails that don't just protect, but actually provide the psychological safety necessary for staff and students to be prepared for an AI-infused future.

Speakers

Mike Lawrence

Director of Information & Technology, ABC Unified School District

Mike Lawrence, Director of IT at ABC Unified, leads districtwide digital learning and infrastructure strategy. Nationally recognized among the top 100 in EdTech, Mike co-founded Google’s global educator programs and served as CEO of CUE. A lifelong learner, he is dedicated to advancing... Read More →

Saturday September 19, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm PDT

Breakout Session 3

AI and Innovative Tech Symposium

Mike Lawrence

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AI and Innovative Tech Symposium

Mike Lawrence

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