Knowledge Is Everywhere: Wisdom Still Has to Be Taught
Technology has always changed the way we learn. From calculators to the internet, each new innovation has sparked fears about what might be lost along the way. But with the rise of AI, education is facing a disruption unlike any before it – one that challenges not just how students access information, but how they develop judgment, critical thinking, and the skills they’ll need for the future.
In this episode of CXO Secrets, David McClelland sits down with Eric Upchurch, Chief Technology Officer at Fort Worth Independent School District, to explore what responsible technology leadership looks like in education. Leading technology for nearly 70,000 students, Eric shares how schools can embrace AI without losing sight of their core mission: preparing young people to become capable, thoughtful, and engaged citizens.
Eric discusses why he believes LLMs are “a calculator for human language”, the opportunities and risks of bringing AI into the classroom, and how educators can adapt teaching methods to develop critical thinking rather than simply prohibit new technologies. He also reflects on lessons from a career spanning healthcare, municipal government, and education, explaining why technology leadership is ultimately a people business built on trust, empathy, and stewardship.
Topics include:
- Why AI may be the biggest disruption education has faced in a century
- What it means to think of LLMs as “a calculator for human language”
- Teaching students to use AI responsibly rather than resisting it
- Balancing innovation with privacy, security, and digital citizenship
- The challenge of protecting young people in an AI-enabled world
- Why schools must prepare students for workplaces shaped by AI
- Leading technology teams through constant change and uncertainty
- Why the best technology leaders focus on people, not just platforms
- The importance of trust, stewardship, and public responsibility in education
- How leadership in education can shape the next generation of citizens