AI as an Extra Set of Hands: Redefining Classroom Roles with Matt Miller of OKO Labs

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Jul 7, 2025

In this engaging conversation, Matt Miller, CEO and Co-Founder of OKO Labs, shares his vision for transforming K-12 education through AI. He discusses the critical need for small group learning solutions and how OKO harnesses AI to facilitate collaboration among students. Matt emphasizes AI’s role in supporting teachers rather than replacing them, ensuring personalized learning experiences. The podcast also explores OKO's swift growth and research-driven strategies, highlighting the importance of teamwork and communication in fostering student engagement.

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ANECDOTE

Teachers Want Extra Hands

Matt Miller shares how educators wanted an "extra set of hands" to pull small groups during instruction.
He found that small group work is powerful but difficult to facilitate due to lack of aides and staff.

INSIGHT

AI for Small Groups Is Unique

AI applied to collaborative small group learning is rare but promising.
Matt believes the challenge is mostly in execution, but technology growth is enabling success.

ANECDOTE

How OCO Math Sessions Work

In an OKO math session, students use devices and headsets to interact both digitally and verbally.
AI guides students to discuss different answers and reach consensus collaboratively, promoting math discourse.

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Matt Miller is the CEO and Co-Founder of OKO Labs, an innovative EdTech company developing human-centric, pro-social AI to power collaborative learning in K-12 classrooms. With a background as CTO and VP of Labs at Amplify Education and VP of Product at Flatiron School, Matt brings deep technical expertise and a passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world educational challenges. Holding BS and MS degrees in Computer Science and Intelligent Systems from Columbia University, Matt co-founded OKO in 2020 to address the critical need for scalable, engaging, and equitable small-group learning solutions, starting with a focus on math intervention. He leads OKO's mission to foster not only academic growth but also essential skills like teamwork and communication, driven by a commitment to evidence-based practices and rigorous R&D.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why small group learning is a critical—and underserved—area in K-12 education
How OKO uses AI to foster real-time collaboration and discourse among students
The benefits of integrating AI to support, not replace, educators
How rigorous research and efficacy studies shaped OKO’s product design
Insights into OKO’s 30x classroom growth and founder-led sales strategy

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:03:07] Origin of OKO: Solving the challenge of small group instruction
[00:05:17] Using AI bots to facilitate collaborative student learning
[00:10:18] What a typical AI-powered OKO math session looks like
[00:14:47] Research partnership with WestEd shows strong early results
[00:19:42] Making efficacy a sales advantage in founder-led growth
[00:25:59] Combining grant funding and equity to scale responsibly
[00:31:37] Defining a new edtech category: small group AI instruction
[00:36:22] Future plans for subject expansion and deeper SEL integration
[00:40:14] Vision for AI-enabled, pro-social, human-centered classrooms

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This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

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.