Sai Gattupalli, Ph.D.
Principal Scientist
Society & AI Research Group
Expertise
The technologies we build for learning carry the values of their creators—and those values determine whose knowledge counts, whose voices are heard, and whose futures are possible.
Sai Gattupalli, Ph.D. is an educational technology researcher and learning scientist specializing in the design and evaluation of artificial intelligence systems that advance educational equity and human flourishing. As Principal Scientist and Director of the Society & AI Research Group, he conducts rigorous scholarship examining how AI mediates knowledge creation, pedagogical practice, and educational access across diverse cultural and institutional contexts.
His research advances society-centered approaches to AI deployment, frameworks that position communities, educators, and learners as co-designers and co-governors of technologies affecting their educational experiences. This work spans intelligent tutoring systems, AI literacy education, culturally responsive computing, and the ethical integration of AI in K-12 and higher education settings. He has taught at the university level and served as a guest speaker in graduate-level seminars, bringing insights from learning sciences and AI to emerging scholars. Additionally, he has hosted STEM educational initiatives in India, working to expand access to quality computing education in diverse cultural contexts.
He has contributed to multiple NSF-funded initiatives, including the Platform for Ethical and Responsible Computing Education (PEaRCE) and the International Alliance to Advance Learning in the Digital Era (IAALDE), developing tools and pedagogical approaches that enable equitable access to AI-enhanced learning. His scholarship appears in leading venues including IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT), International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED), Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education, and Interaction Design and Architecture(s) Journal. His research has examined cross-national patterns in student computational thinking, the effectiveness of offline AI tutoring systems in rural contexts, and the grand challenges facing AI in education beyond 2030.
Beyond academic research, he develops open educational resources and hosts The Culture Compute Podcast, which examines the cultural dimensions of AI and computing education. Through creative platforms like Equations & Echoes, he translates STEM concepts into AI-generated educational music designed to make foundational mathematics accessible to young learners. His work reflects a commitment to scholarship that serves public interest, research that is both intellectually rigorous and practically actionable for educators, policymakers, and communities worldwide.
His overarching mission is to ensure that artificial intelligence in education amplifies human capacity, honors diverse epistemologies, and serves equity rather than reproducing existing inequalities. He advocates for transparent, accountable AI systems governed by principles of human dignity, cultural sovereignty, and democratic participation. Learn more about Sai’s research and teaching.
Education
Ph.D. in Math, Science, and Learning Technologies (MSLT), University of Massachusetts Amherst
