When I was a kid, my parents took me to the Seattle World’s Fair. It was amazing to see all the amazing technology that seemed straight out of a science fiction novel. I begged them to take me back there many times over the six months the Fair was open, and I remember leaving each time feeling like I’d seen a glimpse into the future.
That feeling came back to me recently as I walked out of a classroom in Newark, New Jersey.
In May, I had the opportunity to visit First Avenue Elementary School, a pioneer in using AI in education in the classroom. The Newark School District was piloting Khanmigo, an AI-powered tutoring and teacher support tool, and I immediately wanted to see it for myself.
I’ve written a lot about Khanmigo on this blog. It was developed by Khan Academy, a great partner of the Gates Foundation, and I think its founder, Sal Khan, is a visionary when it comes to leveraging the power of technology to help kids learn. (You can read my review of his new book here.) Brave new words, here.)
While it’s still early days for using AI in the classroom, what I saw in Newark showed me the incredible potential of this technology.
I was amazed at how creatively teachers were using the tools. Leticia Colon, an eighth-grade algebra teacher, explained how she used AI to create a set of problems about local heroes that her students might find interesting. In February, Cammigo helped Colon create an equation that incorporated Newark boxer Shakur Stevenson’s training routine, allowing students to practice their math skills while learning about a real-world role model.
Cheryl Drakeford, a third-grade math and science teacher, talked about how she uses Khanmigo to create rubrics for assignments and lesson hooks. The technology creates a first draft, which she then tailors for her students. For example, the AI gave her a hook with a generic story about a fruit stand, but she edited it to be about Pokemon cards and Roblox, two topics her students are passionate about. “Khanmigo gives me the blueprint, but I have to execute on it,” she said.
Some of the teachers I met showed me how they can access the dashboard of each student to see an overview of their progress in a particular subject. They were very happy to be able to track their students’ progress easily and quickly because this saves them a lot of time. They were also excited that their students are using Khanmigo as a tutor.
The technology is far from perfect at this point. The students I met generally liked using Khanmigo, but struggled with pronouncing Hispanic names and complained that the voice options were male only. This highlights that there is still a lot of thought that needs to be done to make the technology inclusive and appealing to all students. In an ideal world, the AI would know what students in Drakeford’s class are interested in, so there would be no need for editing at all. Ms. Colon told me it took several tries to get Khanmigo to give her what she wanted.
In other words, my visit to Newark taught me where we are. boot Leveraging AI in the classroom is where it all begins, not where the technology will ultimately go. It reinforced my belief that as the technology matures, AI will be a complete game-changer for teachers and students alike. Even today, First Avenue teachers can delegate routine tasks to AI assistants, freeing up time for what matters most: connecting with students, sparking their curiosity, and making sure all students feel recognized and supported, especially those who need a little extra help.
Khanmigo is just one of several AI-powered educational tools we are currently developing. The Gates Foundation is focused on making sure these tools reach and support all students, not just a few. Our goal is to provide a level playing field, not widen existing disparities. We are currently working with educators across the country to gather feedback and make the technology more responsive to their needs. Visits like the one I took to Newark are part of that process. It was a great experience to learn what teachers are passionate about and see how different students are engaging with AI.
The educators I met in Newark are true pioneers. Some are on the cutting edge, constantly looking for new ways to use AI in their classrooms. Others are using AI in a more limited way. I was impressed with how the school supported each teacher’s familiarity with the technology. The school is very careful about change management, making sure that no teacher is challenged to do something that doesn’t work in their classroom.
After all, teachers know best. Give them the right tools and they’ll find a way to support their students. And my visit to Newark left me more optimistic than ever that AI can help teachers do what they do best, freeing them to focus on what matters most.
