
Episode #223
Who is AI Really Built For? Queering Technology | Ep. 223 (with Raj Korpan)
What happens when we stop treating technology as neutral and start asking who it was actually built to serve? In this episode, Bryan sits down with Raj Korpan, an assistant professor of computer science at Hunter College, to explore the intersection of queer identity, education, artificial intelligence, and technology ethics. Raj shares how he encourages computer science students to question the defaults built into technology, connect their identities and communities to what they create, and consider the human consequences of even seemingly small design decisions. Their conversation moves beyond the simple question of whether educators and students should use AI. Instead, Raj offers a more nuanced approach: start with the learning goal, understand what students actually need to learn, and then decide whether AI has a useful role. He also shares his research with LGBTQ+ communities around AI and robot companions, including what queer participants actually want from these technologies—and what they decidedly do not. In this episode, you will: Explore how educators can move beyond blanket AI bans and help students make intentional, transparent choices about when and why they use generative AI. Examine how bias in large language models can reproduce stereotypes about queer identities, families, pronouns, and lived experiences—and why learning to audit these systems matters. Discover what Raj's research with LGBTQ+ participants reveals about designing technology around real community needs rather than assuming one tool can serve everyone. This conversation invites educators to approach AI with curiosity without abandoning critical thinking. Queering education means questioning defaults, noticing who is missing, and imagining what we might build differently when marginalized communities have a meaningful role in shaping technology. Raj reminds us that queer communities have always created spaces, families, and systems of support for ourselves—and that same imagination can help us rethink the technologies entering our classrooms and our lives. Support the show Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices. This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community. Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me . Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook . Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen. Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

