ByteDance’s ‘AI homework helper’ now second-most popular edtech app in US

Photo credit: ByteDance

In July 2021, Beijing clamped down on China’s lucrative private tutoring industry, banning for-profit tutoring in core school subjects and restricting foreign investments in the sector. TikTok parent ByteDance, which operates an education arm, was also affected by the decision, leading to layoffs.

Now, however, ByteDance has shifted its edtech plans to the US, and is reaping the rewards, reported South China Morning Post. Gauth, an “AI homework helper” from ByteDance subsidiary GauthTech, was the country’s second-most downloaded education app as of yesterday, behind only Duolingo.

Question.AI, another educational app from Beijing-based startup Zuoyebang, ranked third in the same survey, which was done by Data.ai.

Launched as a math-focused app in 2020, Gauth was formerly known as Gauthmath. The app enables users to get help with their homework by simply snapping a picture of an assignment, such as a page of math exercises, after which the app’s AI will work through the solutions.

According to the Data.ai survey, Gauth is also popular in Canada and the Philippines.

Gauth’s momentum would be a welcome development for ByteDance, whose social media app TikTok has notably faced headwinds in the US. That said, TikTok’s rise across the world has led ByteDance to surpass Tencent in terms of revenue.

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