Educators are entering the age of AI from very different starting lines — curious, cautious, resistant, overwhelmed, or already experimenting. For leaders, the challenge is helping people move from where they actually are.

In this keynote, high school principal Derek Garrison explores how clear language, shared meaning, and human connection can make complex change more manageable. Drawing on stories from his school’s AI journey, he considers how leaders can reduce fear, clarify direction, and create meaningful next steps while avoiding a future in which efficiency and personalization quietly increase isolation.

At its core, the talk asks: How do we move forward with AI while keeping the work deeply human?