303: Chris Caren, CEO @ Turnitin, on using AI to prevent students from cheating plus lessons for leaders on innovation and team culture

AI and the Future of Work: Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace, Business, Ethics, HR, and IT for AI Enthusiasts, Leaders and Academics

Chris Caren, CEO of Turnitin since 2009, has played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a plagiarism prevention tool to a comprehensive education technology platform that promotes academic integrity, streamlines grading, and enhances educational outcomes. Under his leadership, Turnitin was acquired by Advanced Publications in 2019 for $1.75 billion. Prior to Turnitin, Chris was General Manager of Business Solutions at Microsoft. He holds an MBA with distinction from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and a BS in Engineering from Stanford and regularly contributes to CNBC and other media outlets.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• How a childhood introduction to computers and a background in science set the stage for a career in software.
• The journey from Microsoft to Turnitin and the decision to focus on meaningful industries like education.
• Insights into leadership, including the importance of team cultural fit and the power of delegation.
• Navigating the challenges of taking over from company founders while maintaining and respecting the company culture.
• How AI is transforming the educational landscape and Turnitin's evolving role in addressing student misconduct with AI tools.
• The complex relationship between higher education and AI, balancing the need for students to learn writing and critical thinking with the demand for AI literacy in the workforce.

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