Can AI Make Us More Human? | Michelle Culver, Bomi Akarakiri and Cyra Alesha, The Rithm Project

What happens when a heart-to-heart gets a digital co-pilot?

In this bold, boundary-pushing episode of AmpED to 11, Rebecca and Brett dive deep into the tangled intersection of AI and human connection with three trailblazers from the Rithm Project—a visionary effort aiming to preserve humanity in the age of artificial intelligence.

Michelle Culver (Rithm Project founder and former Reinvention Lab lead at Teach For America) is joined by Rithm Fellows Bomi Akarakiri and Cyra Alesha, both powerhouse youth advocates working at the sharp edge of policy, mental health, and emerging tech. Together, they bring passion, clarity, and a whole lot of nuance to one of the most urgent questions in education right now: If AI is becoming a co-author of our relationships, what does that mean for how we connect, collaborate, and care?

The crew doesn’t just talk about this—they play The AI Effect: a provocative card-based game that sparks unflinchingly honest discussion around AI use cases—from romantic chatbots and AI grief companions to whether students should use AI to write friendship speeches. Every round stirs disagreement, vulnerability, and even some unexpected revelations. And that’s the point.

You’ll learn:
Bold ways to explore AI's impact on relationships and student well-being
How educators and students can use tools like The AI Effect to build critical AI judgment, together
Why pretending to be more “human” with AI might actually cost us authenticity
What real trust and transparency look like in a world of synthetic friends and smart lenses
How to support young people in developing emotional regulation and empathy in an AI era
Why “it depends” is the most radical answer in education today

This isn’t your average policy talk or tool review—this is a deep, decidedly human conversation that leaves you feeling more connected, more curious, and honestly, a little more hopeful.

⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 – Welcome & intro with Brett and Rebecca
2:01 – Meet Michelle Culver + the Rithm Project
4:05 – Gen Z leaders Bomi & Cyra on youth voice and AI equity
6:58 – Why AI is colliding with a crisis in human connection
9:00 – “The AI Effect” game begins
13:00 – Practicing hard conversations with AI bots: powerful or hollow?
23:00 – AI memory banks: connection or data trap?
28:48 – AI-written speeches for friends—cheating or empathy?
34:00 – Wearing AI in your ear: social safety net or disconnection?
37:00 – Group therapy with AI: dangerous or democratizing?
40:00 – Talking to AI versions of late loved ones: healing or harmful?
48:30 – Final reflections: trust, belonging, and ethics in education
55:12 – Ocean’s 11 Question: Who’s on your AI and EdTech dream team?
1:03:00 – How to get the AI Effect game + join the Rithm Project

💬 What resonated with you most? Drop a comment and let’s talk.

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