Week in Edtech 7/19/2024: $600B AI Investment Bubble, Karpathy’s AI Assistants, OpenAI’s 'Strawberry', Meta’s Largest Llama 3 Model, US ED Issues Guidance for AI Edtech Developers and More! Feat. Chris Hess of Pearson and Mark Naufel of Axio AI
Jul 24, 2024
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Chris Hess from Pearson and Mark Naufel & Ira Gluck from Axio AI discuss AI investments, OpenAI's 'Strawberry' model, LAUSD's AI chatbot controversy, U.S. guidance for AI edtech developers, and more in the latest edtech innovations and news.
Districts may favor AI tools enhancing adult roles over revolutionary instructional AI.
Free AI tools from Khan Academy and Microsoft aim to support safe AI integration.
Surveys show growing AI tool adoption, promoting experimentation in education.
US ED provides AI developers with guidance focused on safety and equity.
Axio's AI learning companion offers personalized experiences and integrates with LMS.
Deep dives
Chilling Effects on Districts to Adopt AI
There might be a chilling effect on districts' desire to take big swings with AI after the fallout from LA's AI venture. Districts might be more cautious and prioritize adopting AI tools that amplify adult roles rather than those revolutionizing instruction or leveraging student data.
Khan Academy's AI Initiatives
Khan Academy, in collaboration with Microsoft, is making AI tools more accessible by offering the Phi 3 language model for free to educators and students. Initiatives like the $2 million contract with New Hampshire Education Department aim to bring AI teaching assistants like ConMigo to support educators and students, emphasizing safe AI integration in the classroom.
Increasing Usage of AI Tools
Recent surveys indicate growing usage of AI tools, with over 60% of educators, students, and administrators incorporating AI regularly. Khan Academy's efforts to democratize AI tools highlight the potential for educators and students to experiment with AI, fostering a deeper understanding and utilization of the technology.
US Department of Ed's AI Development Guidance
The US Department of Ed has issued guidance for AI ed tech developers focused on safety, security, evidence, equity, and bias considerations. While offering valuable principles for AI development in education, further exploration and implementation of these recommendations are necessary to ensure effective and responsible AI integration in educational settings.
Axio: A Personalized AI Learning Companion
Axio, formerly known as Primer, is an AI learning companion that offers personalized learning experiences for students and educators. Through its advanced capabilities, Axio engages with individuals to understand their interests, struggles, and career aspirations. One key feature is its ability to integrate with various Learning Management Systems (LMSs) like Canvas and Google Classroom. This integration allows Axio to access coursework, schedules, and upcoming assignments, providing tailored support and guidance.
Lifelong Learning Platform: A Vision for the Future
Axio envisions becoming a personal learning management system that spans a learner's educational journey from K–12 through post-secondary and into the workforce. By utilizing generative AI and graph technology, Axio aims to create a seamless, continuous learning experience that adapts to each individual. The platform has a self-adapting knowledge structure that quantifies a student's learning scope and sequence, guiding them through personalized skill development and career paths.
Balancing Personified AI with Utility
While AI's ability to simulate human communication is valuable, there exists a push and pull between personified AI and more utilitarian interfaces. Axio strikes a balance by providing tailored responses based on user preferences, personality, and cultural background. By offering adaptive interactions, Axio caters to individual learning styles and needs, optimizing the overall learning experience for students and educators.
The Future of AI Companions in Education
Mark Knoffel, the CEO of Axio, discusses the future landscape of AI companions in education. By leveraging generative AI technology, Axio aims to revolutionize personalized learning experiences. Its adaptability to user preferences and the integration with various LMSs showcase the potential for a dynamic, lifelong learning platform. The interplay between personified AI and utility-driven interfaces underscores the evolving nature of AI companions in education.
Empowering Personalized Learning Experiences
Axio's innovative approach to AI companionship offers a glimpse into the future of personalized learning in education. By catering to individual needs, preferences, and career aspirations, Axio paves the way for a truly adaptive learning experience. Its versatility to integrate with diverse educational systems and focus on user-centric interactions highlights a transformative journey towards lifelong learning and continuous skill development.
Join Alex Sarlin and guest host, Claire Zau, Partner at GSV Ventures, as they explore the most critical developments in the world of education technology this week
🎙️ Andrej Karpathy’s New Venture: AI assistants for education 🚀 Meta’s Largest Llama 3 Model Launch 🔍 Anthropic’s Push for Third-Party AI Evaluations 🍓 OpenAI’s new AI model under code name 'Strawberry' 💸 AI Investment Bubble: Navigating a $600B market shift 📉 LAUSD's $6M AI Chatbot Controversy 🤖 $2.3M Contract between the New Hampshire Department of Education and Khan Academy 📘 U.S. ED Issues Guidance for AI Edtech Developers 📊 Quizlet’s AI Survey: Higher education leads AI adoption 📈 Tyton Partners Report on Digital Learning Tools 🏫 KKR emerges as front-runner for Instructure Buyout 🎓 Salesforce AI Tools for HigherEd 💡 $20M Opportunity@Work Grant from MacKenzie Scott
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This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.
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