Chinese AI tutoring apps take over US learning space

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Tutoring companies in the US are facing a growing threat from AI homework apps, and the two most popular among these are Chinese-owned, reported TechCrunch.

According to SensorTower data, China-based Question AI has been downloaded six million times in the US after its launch in 2023. Gauth, which was introduced by ByteDance in 2019, has garnered 12 million installs since its launch.

One factor that may have led to these platforms’ success is cost, as tutoring services for one month can equal a year’s subscription into an AI-assisted app, the report noted.

The rise of Chinese homework apps in the American market can also be attributed to a strategic shift following China’s 2021 crackdown on its domestic tutoring sector. Many service providers have turned their attention to international markets, with the US being their prime target. In the case of Question AI and Gauth, the two services are offered in the US through Singapore-based entities.

While there is an ongoing discussion on AI’s role in classrooms, the rising use of such apps in the US is undeniable, largely due to its cost efficiency and personalized teaching styles. Notably, a quarter of the top 20 education apps on the US App Store are AI-based, offering real-time help to students with their homework.

However, there has been pushback. Several public school districts in the US have been blocking access to platforms like ChatGPT, though the TechCrunch report noted that it’s hard to enforce such a ban outside of school.

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