Stop Throwing AI at Everything: Lissa Frésquez on Building EdTech That Actually Helps Students

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Lissa Frésquez, Director of Technology Innovation on the Learning Team at EdPlus at Arizona State University, to explore what it actually takes to evaluate, test, and scale emerging technology across a massive online learning ecosystem.

Lissa shares how her team manages dozens of EdTech partners while supporting nearly 119,000 online learners. From automated systems that monitor vendor updates to targeted 7.5-week pilots with individual colleges, the conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how new technology moves from an interesting idea to something students and faculty can actually use.

The conversation also explores why smaller startups can sometimes make great partners, the importance of security and accessibility from day one, and why institutions shouldn't simply “throw AI at everything.” Lisa advocates for thinking about AI as augmented intelligence—technology that enhances the learning experience rather than replacing the people at the center of it.

Ultimately, Lisa argues that even as online education becomes more technologically sophisticated, one of the biggest opportunities is surprisingly human: creating more intentional, authentic interactions between students and faculty.