April 10, 2023
Khan Academy’s Sal Khan has lauded the capabilities of ChatGPT’s latest version in providing an AI-powered personalized learning experience, despite criticisms surrounding the technology’s propensity for errors.
In a recent interview with Axios, Khan noted that ChatGPT’s technology is “very powerful” and constantly improving, with the latest version of the AI engine making for a great tutor.
The pilot program, called Khanmigo, utilizes AI to help teachers and students in school districts that have adopted the technology. Newark, N.J., and Hobart, Indiana, are the latest to join the program, bringing the total number of teachers and students using the AI-powered tutoring service to 425.
The Khanmigo chatbot operates as a real-life or online tutor, examining students’ work and assisting them when they are stuck. In a math problem, for instance, Khanmigo can not only tell whether a student’s answer is right or wrong but also pinpoint where they may have gone astray in their reasoning.
Despite concerns surrounding ChatGPT’s technology and its use in education, Khan says that many of those criticizing it are also using the technology themselves and even letting their children make use of it. He adds that today’s AI provides the opportunity for more students, both in rich and developing countries, to get personalized learning.
Khan notes that Khanmigo adds its “secret sauce” to GPT-4 to help avoid math errors. He believes that Khan Academy has worked harder on the technology than anyone else, stating that “I’d be surprised if anyone has worked harder on this than we have.”
Khan hopes that in the future, the program will cover current events and be able to work on problems that require a diagram or a graph. Still, those capabilities are not yet supported.
The sources for this piece include an article in Axios.
