341: How AI is Changing Education: The Future of Accessible Learning with Marni Baker Stein, Coursera CCO

Marni Baker Stein is the Chief Content Officer at Coursera, the global learning platform with over 175 million learners and partnerships across 6,200 campuses, businesses, and governments. She leads Coursera’s content and credential strategy and manages global partner relationships. Before joining Coursera, Marni was Chief Academic Officer and Provost at Western Governors University, where she oversaw programs for more than 135,000 students. She has also held leadership roles focused on access, student success, and program design at the University of Texas, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Marni earned her PhD in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• How AI is shifting education from one-size-fits-all to personalized, contextualized learning tailored to each student • Why microcredentials and stackable learning are replacing traditional degrees as the new path for lifelong learners • The role of educators in the AI era and why they should be part of the solution, not sidelined by automation • What it means for universities to stay relevant as learning becomes more modular, flexible, and job-aligned • Why GenAI is fueling demand for both technical skills and enduring human abilities like critical thinking and communication • How tools like AI tutors, instant translations, and proctoring are democratizing access and preserving integrity at scale

Resources:

Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Marni on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How To Identify The Power of Product and Listening to Your Customers. • Past episodes mentioned in this conversation: • [With Dave Marchick, Dean of the Kogod School of Business] - On How AI is Changing Academia • [Chris Caren, Turnitin CEO] - On using AI to prevent students from cheating plus lessons for leaders on innovation and team culture