Meet ‘Khanmigo’, Khan Academy’s AI assistant

The heads of the leading AI labs have recently penned an open letter sounding the alarm on the ominous spectre of future AI systems, cautioning that they could potentially unleash a cataclysmic peril upon humanity.

Since the emergence of Open AI's ChatGPT, we have seen scathing reviews and assumptions about how AI can destroy our education system and the learning of future generations. However, no matter how much the experts from different fields lambast the skyrocketing advancement of AI, it is here to stay. It is better if we embrace it and make the best of it. And that is the path Sal Khan has taken.

In a possibly groundbreaking development, Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organisation, has collaborated with Open AI's GPT-4 to introduce Khanmigo — an AI-powered tutor designed to provide personalised learning experiences to students worldwide. Over the past 15 years, the founder of Khan Academy, Sal Khan has been exploring alternative teaching methods and has helped millions of students through the organisation's extensive library of educational videos.

Khan Academy's new AI tutor, Khanmigo, is seen as a eureka moment by the founder. He believes that this is "the biggest positive transformation that education has ever seen." The goal is to provide every student on the planet with an artificially intelligent and exceptional personal tutor. Khanmigo can answer questions, quiz students, make connections between ideas, and understand the context of educational videos. It can even address the age-old question of "Why do I need to learn this?" or even if you sarcastically ask "Why should I care?"

Launched in March, Khanmigo aims to bridge the gap between traditional educational resources and the individualised guidance typically provided by human tutors. In a maths exercise example, the AI bot appears at the bottom of the student's screen, guiding them through the problem and emphasising the importance of understanding the process rather than just providing the answer. Khanmigo even assists with subjects like computer programming, which are often lacking qualified instructors in many schools.

Khanmigo's capabilities extend beyond maths and encompass a wide range of subjects, including history and science. "This is actually a better tutor than I am," Khan said in his recent Ted Talk. Students can interact with the AI tutor by asking questions and receiving immediate help, which is particularly beneficial when teachers are occupied with other students or have moved on to another topic.

The AI tutoring bot  has been put to the test in many classrooms in some US schools. Students and teachers who have experienced Khanmigo are impressed with its approach. Instead of simply giving solutions, the AI tutor offers hints, guidance, and walks students through similar problem-solving techniques, much like a human tutor. This empowers students to apply what they have learned to different scenarios and tests their understanding.

Khanmigo is already being used in classrooms, and the plan is to expand its implementation further in the coming year. It caters to different grade levels and can deliver instruction in multiple languages.

What sets Khanmigo apart is its focus on understanding students' reasoning and thought processes, prioritising conceptual understanding over simply arriving at the correct answer. This distinguishes it from traditional educational resources that often prioritise rote memorisation and regurgitation of information.

Before the introduction of AI to the curriculum, Khan Academy had demonstrated that students could significantly accelerate their learning with just 30-60 minutes of engagement per week. According to Sal Khan, a study showed that dedicating 18 hours over a year could boost eighth-graders' learning by 60%. Sal Khan said a year ago he would've thought this was science fiction, but it's here and they've found a way to work with it. "If students were able to do 50 hours in a year, they can improve their standard deviation," he said.

To address concerns about misuse and security, Khanmigo records and makes conversations viewable to teachers. Additionally, a second AI monitors the interactions, alerting parents and teachers if any inappropriate or concerning content is detected.

Khanmigo not only aims to empower students to take ownership of their learning but also equips educators with valuable tools to support their students effectively. At this time, only people who live in the United States are eligible to use Khanmigo. However, it will soon be open for all and is expected to come up with more features.