TechStrong TV Interviews Labster CPTO Bjorn Toft Madsen

In this episode of TechStrong TV, Alan Shimel, CEO and Founder of the TechStrong Group, sits down with Bjørn Toft Madsen, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Labster, to explore the intersection of AI, virtual reality, and education.

AI as an Educational Enhancement Tool

Madsen acknowledges the concerns around generative AI in education. He emphasizes that Labster’s products serve to “make sure that AI enhances the learning experience rather than replacing critical thinking” and describes Labster's unique philosophy of "building AI that works for educators, not just for algorithms”.

Preserving Critical Thinking in the Digital Age
Shimel raises compelling concerns about the modern "always-on" digital culture and information overload, asking the poignant question: "We're always on. And there is no time to reflect and there is no time to learn or at least contemplate... How does one learn? How does one make rational decisions without the time to reflect?" 

Madsen says, “Without reflection, you very rarely have learning occur. You can try to ride a bike all day long, and then after you take a break, you manage to aggregate and associate some of the experiences you’ve had, so that now you are better at riding that bike. It can click suddenly with riding a bike, but for other things, you have to do something, do something, do something and then reflect, reflect, reflect.”

The Future of Immersive Learning
Drawing from his background in the gaming industry, Madsen discusses how Labster is using AI to streamline the creation of immersive learning experiences while ensuring the technology serves genuine learning objectives. 

“Labster has taken a different approach. We are seeing AI both as an opportunity to create experiences for students that prompt them to put in that effort and push hard … and help students and educators reflect on those experiences.”

The conversation concludes with Shimel's vivid reference to Pixar's WALL-E as a cautionary tale, warning against a future where humans become overly dependent on technology and lose their capacity for critical thinking. 

Watch the full interview here to hear their engaging discussion on the future of AI in education technology and the critical importance of keeping humans at the center of the learning process.

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