#56 From Classrooms to Courtrooms: AI Adoption Reality

In this fascinating episode of Lawyers Who Learn, David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, interviews Conor Grennan, Chief AI Architect at NYU Stern and founder of AI Mindset, who brings a unique perspective on how AI will fundamentally reshape education and work. The conversation begins with an inspiring story about Conor taking his 16-year-old son to Nepal to teach AI to NGOs, revealing how the next generation naturally understands and adopts AI technology.

Conor challenges conventional thinking about education, discussing how the current educational system needs to evolve in the AI era. He explains why students adopt AI faster than employees - it's all about incentives - and shares his vision for reimagining classrooms where students use AI to learn faster, then teach others without technological assistance. The discussion explores the fundamental shift from information consumption to human-centered skills like public speaking and authentic communication.

The conversation delves into practical AI adoption challenges, drawing parallels between the "tapping problem" (where experts assume others understand what they're communicating) and how organizations struggle with AI implementation. Drawing from his extensive work with law firms and major corporations, Conor explains why being an early adopter is crucial, the reality of AI agents, and why understanding large language models now is essential for managing AI employees in the future. He reveals that despite the legal industry being perfectly positioned for AI transformation, adoption rates aren't necessarily higher than other industries. The episode concludes with insights on creating authentic content using AI tools like Claude and building sustainable practices in an AI-driven world.