In this presentation, I will explore Khan Academy's journey to become an AI-first organization, focusing on our AI Tutor and Teacher Assistant, Khanmigo. This case study will cover the strategic evolution from conception, through to launch, and continuous iteration and refinement.
Key Highlights:
Strategic partnership: The collaboration with OpenAI to launch Khanmigo alongside GPT4, going from prototype to fully launched product in 3 months time. I will delve into the why and how behind our decision to partner with OpenAI, and to leverage generative AI in our product.
Cultural shift in product development: The transition from our previous, more traditional product development approach to a highly experimental, prototype-driven culture. This section will highlight how we embedded AI across all teams to enhance our mission, moving beyond isolated AI projects to fully integrate AI into our operational fabric.
Khanmigo in action: An in-depth look at Khanmigo's functionality and its solution to real-world challenges faced by students and teachers, coupled with it's impact in real classrooms around the US.
Ongoing technical challenges and scaling: An overview of the technical obstacles encountered in scaling and maintaining quality as we continued to add more users.
Ethical considerations and AI safety: How we thought of AI safety in the context of the classroom, and delivered on an experience that parents and educators trust.
Pilot programs and iterative learning: Insights from our pilot programs across various school districts, focusing on how we've used feedback and data to refine and enhance Khanmigo's capabilities.
Recorded live in San Francisco at the AI Engineer World's Fair. See the full schedule of talks at https://www.ai.engineer/worldsfair/2024/schedule & join us at the AI Engineer World's Fair in 2025! Get your tickets today at https://ai.engineer/2025
About Shawn
Shawn Jansepar is Director of Engineering at Khan Academy and product leader of the Khanmigo Platform. Prior to joining Khan Academy, Shawn led Engineering at Mobify in Vancouver, growing it from a small startup to a large team which was eventually acquired by Salesforce. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Simon Fraser University.