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Stephen Aguilar

@stephenaguilar.com
1.1K followers 641 following 547 posts

Educational researcher focused on EdTech x AI,student engagement and motivation. Associate professor at USC Rossier. Associate Director of USC Center for Generative AI and Society

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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 11/08/2026
My author copies are here, and I've decided to make them unique by signing and embossing them with a custom stamp. I thought it would be nice for folks to receive something special, especially in a world filled with synthetic products made by AI. Cool poster by @reforest-kelley.bsky.social
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 01/07/2026
My book Authenticating Intelligence comes out in under two months. My editing hack: read every page out loud. Awkward sentences sound ten times worse spoken. Brutal, but it was worth it. Did it catch every typo? Nope. Probably added a few. Perfection's overrated.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 15/05/2026
Authenticating Intelligence still isn’t out, but it’s good to see it indexed!
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 04/05/2026
Authenticating Intelligence has 100 plays on Spotify! It may not be a lot, but we all have to start somewhere. Plus, I have similar numbers on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. Give it a listen. Spotify: bit.ly/AuthIntelSp Apple: apple.co/4a4lVjG YouTube: bit.ly/AuthIntelYT
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 13/04/2026
Join my this Sunday! Creativity and Curiosity in the Age of AI: From the Arts to Education Sunday, 1:30 p.m., Wallis Annen-berg Hall, presented by USC
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 13/04/2026
From Authenticating Intelligence:
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 10/04/2026
Join me Sun, 4/19-1:30pm - 2:30pm at the @latimes.com Festival of Books! Session Title: Creativity and Curiosity in the Age of AI: From the Arts to Education Grab tickets online at latimes.com/fob starting Sunday, April 12, or at ticket booth #390 on the day of, while supplies last.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 29/03/2026
Nothing humans make is neutral. That includes EdTech. Tools are extensions of our cognition, and make plain what we value when we use them to engage with the world around us. I dig into this concept a fair bit in Authenticating Intelligence.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 20/03/2026
LinkedIn thoughts about AI are weird. Heading: "Imagine if we used computers the way many organizations use AI today." I guess I need *checks desk* two more screens to fully integrate computers into my workflow. I'm so close!
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 19/03/2026
Sometimes it's good to unplug and paint.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 18/03/2026
Here's the final book jacket for Authenticating Intelligence. Super happy with how it came out, and thrilled to have some wonderful endorsements from folks I respect.
"Authenticating Intelligence offers a historically and philosophically-grounded examination of what generative Al means for education-cutting through both hype and panic to focus on what truly matters."
—VICTOR R. LEE,
Associate Professor, Stanford University, Graduate School of Education
"This book demonstrates how generative Al can amplify-rather than replace-the competencies that matter most: critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and authentic intellectual engagement."
-JEAN-CLAUDE BRIZARD, President and CEO, Digital Promise Global
"Grounded in philosophy and research yet highly accessible, the book centers on the practical goal of improving learning for all students amid profound shifts in how we interact with Al. It's a vital read for education leaders, technologists, parents, teachers, and students alike."
-DR. JUNE AHN, Senior Associate Dean,
University of California, Irvine, School of Education
"Authenticating Intelligence equips the reader with a toolkit for critically examining and discussing both future possibilities and current practices-a perspective that will continue to serve even as the technology inevitably
-DR. WILLIAM R. WATSON, Professor and Chair of the College of Education's Al and Data Science Working Group, Purdue University
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 14/03/2026
May I suggest: Release date = 8/6/26
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 13/03/2026
From chapter 9 of Authenticating Intelligence:
Instead, I am interested in the commodification of expertise, and how such commodification is and will be enacted through GenAI. What does it mean when expert knowledge is, in a very real sense, divorced from the expert? What role do experts have, if any, when it comes to vetting synthetic information-and what are the safeguards in place to protect non-experts from making decisions based on flawed reasoning, flawed evidence, or GenAI hallucinations?
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 12/03/2026
Anthropic came out with a report. Sectors that keep shoving AI into every nook and cranny predict that AI will *checks notes* be incorporated into a bunch of stuff. I did my own back of the envelope calculations and came up with this. I'm entertaining offers from VCs. Bidding starts at 500 billion
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 12/03/2026
One more chance to find typos. Spoiler: I will still miss a couple. I may even add a few, who knows.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 03/03/2026
Adobe: "Hey...hey you. You wanna like...*not* read? Reading is for nerds. Let me just, you know, summarize all these words for you so you can read less. You'll have so much more fun reading less."
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 13/02/2026
People are weird. This was covered well in DS9 (low gravity alien who was in Starfleet). They even took a shot at Cardassian architecture which was less accessible. The future is filled with all sorts of people and abilities. That’s the point of Star Trek.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 07/02/2026
*Laughs in Southern California*
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 26/01/2026
Our Australian friends in the miniature painting community call it like it is. www.instagram.com/druchii_gang/
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 15/01/2026
Just so we're clear, failing to get grants/fellowships is normal. The trick is to keep trying.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 14/01/2026
I assume that this cutting edge use of QR codes will also lead to a rapid feedback form.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 14/01/2026
In non-horrible news, one of the Kickstarters I backed showed up today! Meet the BYOK (Bring Your Own Keyboard). It's a minimalist device in the vein of the Freewrite devices. It comes w/ cloud sync options, saves to a min SD card, etc. Once my new keyboard shows up I'll share my setup. byok.io
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 13/01/2026
Age of Apocalypse. Best alternative reality in the entire X-Men franchise!
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 12/01/2026
Pretty sure my phone doesn't understand Spanish.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 12/01/2026
Sumi longs for the wild.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 09/01/2026
Hooray! One whole K!!
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 08/01/2026
I’m so close to 1k! Hurry find 5 more real people and make them follow me.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 07/01/2026
It's first-proof-lookin'-at-Wednesday! A new holiday I just made up. Delighted to report that yes, it contains all my favorite typos. Thank god for a second set of human eyes!
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 06/01/2026
I decided to make a GenAI application that insults my painting. (The sass is programmed in, as is the fairly useful advice!) sysero.netlify.app
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 02/01/2026
I'm honestly more concerned about Michelangelo here. He's seen some shit.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 29/12/2025
post a perfect album from the 90s that isn't nirvana, pearl jam, soundgarden, or Alice In Chains
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 27/12/2025
And by “other guy” I mean my gal Sumi, who is very much against (necessary) baths.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 27/12/2025
You should see the other guy.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 25/12/2025
Merry Christmas!
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 19/12/2025
Full quote by Marcus Aurelius, one of my favorite Stoics behind Seneca and Cicero.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 13/12/2025
Not sure if the arguments are similar, but this book by Martha Nussbaum had a similar thesis (emotions are important tools of cognition) and influenced my thinking a lot when I was at UChicago.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 17/11/2025
Ok but what if it's my cats doing it, both figuratively and literally.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 12/11/2025
The real reason research productivity is also down.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 12/11/2025
I had to leave early to prep for a TV interview (in Spanish!), but I was able to catch the beginning of the USC AI Summit and the fun conversation between President Kim and Eric Schmidt. Bonus: I also snapped this pic of Eric petting orchids. Evidence that AI can't replace everything!
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 08/11/2025
Nice try, carbs.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 08/11/2025
Cats are the best. I just wish I could sleep this soundly.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 07/11/2025
Just so we're clear about how dumb a 1 trillion dollar pay package is.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 03/11/2025
My book is complete and in the hands of my publisher. I'll update here when I have a publication date, but in the meantime consider signing up for my newsletter! #AI #AIED #booksky stephenaguilar.com/authenticati...
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 31/10/2025
Seriously. Stop doing this.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 30/10/2025
Let's not forget that humans do the real intellectual work. AI is just a tool.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 29/10/2025
Because "efficiency"
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 27/10/2025
Holy crap I've been using the wrong sheets my entire life. Guess I have to go buy some MAN sheets. For man reasons.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 27/10/2025
Seems about right.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 20/10/2025
When the future of tech is just a meme.
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Stephen Aguilar @stephenaguilar.com · 15/10/2025
Yep
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