Khan Academy, a renowned online course website, has announced a partnership with Microsoft. They have introduced an AI assistant called Khanmigo to aid in teaching students and are offering this service for free. The functionality of Khanmigo is similar to that of other AI chatbots, but it has been tailored to mimic the expertise of subject-specific tutors. It possesses knowledge and expertise in a particular field, much like a dedicated teacher or a student’s TA. It can answer questions, provide guidance on problem-solving methods, and even offer supplementary video clips.
Of interest is the fact that Khan Academy initially planned to charge $44 per year for the Khanmigo service due to the high cost of running AI. However, with Microsoft’s support, they have switched to using the cost-effective Phi 3 model. This has significantly reduced operational costs while maintaining the same quality standards. By utilizing Microsoft’s server infrastructure, Khan Academy is now able to provide this service free of charge to all teachers in the United States. These teachers can use Khanmigo to help create exercises (primarily in mathematics), assist students with problem-solving, and even provide feedback, thereby reducing their workload.
Khan Academy has also revealed plans to develop on-device AI models in the future to further reduce AI running costs. Additionally, they aim to expand access to teachers in remote areas with limited internet connectivity.
TLDR: Khan Academy partners with Microsoft to launch Khanmigo, an AI assistant for teaching students, providing the service for free. The Phi 3 model reduces operational costs, allowing teachers to utilize Khanmigo for creating exercises and assisting students, with plans to develop on-device AI models in the future.
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