The Hague AI

AI generative tools have arrived, and students are already using them widely for assignments and learning. This reality raises urgent questions: should schools ban and contain AI, or embrace it and redesign the way we teach and assess? At this Pie & AI, learn and participate as speakers present contrasting perspectives; from defenders of the traditional model who argue for limits, to innovators who are testing new approaches for students with AI in mind.

The evening combines short talks, a spirited debate, and networking opportunities for students, teachers and private sector professionals. Explore what skills truly matter in the outside, an AI-driven world, how assessments may evolve, and what role Human creativity, critical thinking, and ethics play in the classrooms of the future. Be a part of the conversation on the challenges about what education needs to become in the future.

17:00 Food and walk-in (catering with University)
18:00 Talks at Speakers’ Corner:
- Welcome, introduction, why are we here
- Education history in 5 minutes, the skills needed for today
- The Case for AI Containment, Limitation
- The Case for Redesign
19:00 Debate: how to we tackle the fact of AI in education?
20:00 Networking and food etc.

Speakers & panelists:

Vikram Radhakrishnan (Host):
Vikram Radhakrishnan is a Lecturer in Applied Data Science & AI at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Trained in electrical engineering and astronomy, he’s finishing a PhD in instrumentation for large optical telescopes. He holds certifications from NVIDIA, Google, and Databricks, and teaches for NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute. Vikram also runs The Hague AI—the largest AI meetup in Zuid-Holland—where he hosts public talks and networking dinners. Off campus, you’ll find him cooking, doing CrossFit, or bouldering.

Fiona Passantino (Moderator):
Fiona Passantino is an AI keynote speaker, trainer and facilitator. Her mission? To empower the non-technical Working Human to understand and use AI effectively, maximizing connection, engagement and creativity for more joy and inspiration into the workplace. A passionate content producer, host of the podcast “Working Humans” and award-winning author of the “Comic Books for Executives” series. Fiona is now a rising star in the AI-Human inspirational space, headlining international events for some of the most powerful multinationals of all sectors, training in-company and for professional development organisations. Thanks to her background in communication and standup comedy, her keynotes are spiced with sharp humor and always bring a festive, high-energy event.
Her latest book, "AI-Powered Professional" is hot off the press for 2025. It's a practical, fun guide written for ordinary, working people for using AI: to improve productivity and joy at work. This witty, fun, and down-to-earth book is a richly illustrated roadmap that navigates you through the transformative world of Artificial Intelligence. Comics keep us laughing on the way to professional empowerment.

Sonia de Jager (Panelist):
Sonia de Jager just completed her PhD dissertation on the philosophy of (natural) language-modulation at Erasmus University, philosophy faculty. The project has taken the form of a so-called “living book” and can be found at: www.n-o.ooo. Her current position is as a postdoctoral researcher, working primarily on natural language processing and education, and developing a Social Sciences and Humanities language model together with colleagues at other faculties. Besides this, together with six other members, she is co-founder of the Noise Research Union (NRU). De Jager also teaches at the art academy in Rotterdam, and at the design academy in Eindhoven. At both these institutions her focus is exploring philosophy through art and design (and vice versa), and motivating students to chase the philosophical implications of their interests and embeddings.

Felienne Hermans (Panelist):
Felienne is a professor of Computer Science Education at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She also works as a high-school CS teacher one day a week at Open Schoolgemeenschap Bijlmer. She is the creator of the Hedy programming language, a gradual and multi-lingual programming language designed for teaching and author of the book "The Programmer's Brain" a book that helps programmers understand how their brain works and how to use it more effectively. In 2021, Felienne was awarded the Dutch Prize for ICT research. She writes for Dutch newspaper Volkskrant every month and writes a weekly newsletter on computer science, AI and many other things.

Steffen Steinert (Panelist):
Steffen Steinert is an Assistant Professor in the Ethics and Philosophy of Technology section at Delft University of Technology. He is also the lead of the ethics team at NOLAI (National Education Lab AI).
In his work, he explores the link between technology and values. Steffen has published numerous papers on responsible innovation and ethics of technology. He recently published a book on interdisciplinary value theory (Palgrave 2023), which introduces value theory of various academic disciplines. In addition to his research, he teaches ethics to engineering and design students.