Does it give you pause when you see a photo, video, or story and you wonder "Is this real, or was it created by AI?"

Does it even matter anymore whether the art and information we're interacting with was created by human or machine?

And, how is classical Christian education - so deeply focused on cultivating well-read, well-written, and well-spoken students - still relevant in a world that is increasingly obsessed with the efficiency that artificial intelligence tools promise?

Our host, Veritas Head of School Ty Fischer is joined in this by two guests who are employed in various STEM fields and are in the thick of some of this AI usage - Jack DeWeese, a software developer and Veritas alumnus Zach Spykstra, a mechantronics engineer.

They will dive into:

• How most AI programs actually work (they're not actually intelligent).
• Thoughts on how (or even if) parents and Christians can use these tools rightly and with discernment.
• What kind of education will serve the next generation growing up in an AI-fueled world...and how kids can set themselves apart by maintaining their God-given abilities to reason, think, and create freely.
• Warnings on the use of too much AI.
• Why (or whether) it matters if humans or a machine created content that we use.

This season of Cultivate is sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisers, a wealth management firm located on North Pointe Blvd. in Lancaster, PA, leading people to make better financial decisions and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.

Graham Dennis, Dean of Students, and Adam Timmons, Director of Houses and secondary teacher at Veritas Academy, talk with Ty Fischer about the significance of relationships among students, and what parents can do to help their child foster relationships that honor God and honor each other.

This season of Cultivate is sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisers, a wealth management firm located at North Pointe Blvd in Lancaster,  leading people to make better financial decisions and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.

Key takeaways include the importance of shared experiences, commitment, mutual challenge, and bearing each other’s burdens in relationships. The conversation delves into the struggles faced by students in forming and maintaining relationships, the role of parents, the impact of technology, and how to navigate romantic interests responsibly. The discussion highlights how Veritas encourages intentional, godly friendships and handles romantic relationships among students, and emphasizes a balance of guidance, grace, and community involvement in fostering healthy friendships and relationships.

Season Five of the Veritas Cultivate podcast officially kicks off with this thought provoking conversation with historian, theologian, and author Dr. Carl Trueman, who was our school's commencement speaker in May 2025. His bestselling books Strange New World and The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self offer thoughtful, biblical examination and response to our culture's current identity crises.

Listen in to his discussion with Head of School Ty Fischer as Carl shares what led him to delve into these weighty and critical topics, as well as important insights for parents as we seek to raise our children to form and found their identity in Christ first and and foremost.

This season of Cultivate is sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisors,  a wealth management firm located at North Point Boulevard in Lancaster, leading people to make better financial decisions and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.