eSelf, a pioneer in face-to-face conversational AI, has partnered with the Center for Educational Technology (CET), Israel’s largest K-12 textbook publisher, to deliver personalized AI tutors to every student in the country. This initiative marks the world’s first national implementation of AI tutoring, with Harvard University contributing as an academic advisor to ensure research-backed educational impact.
Highlights of the AI Tutoring Initiative
1. Historic National Deployment of AI Tutors
- Israel becomes the first country to adopt AI tutoring at a national level.
- The program aims to enhance educational equity through scalable, one-on-one tutoring.
- CET and eSelf will provide each K-12 student with a virtual AI tutor, accessible both in and out of the classroom.
2. Grounded in Research: The Two Sigma Problem
- Referencing Benjamin Bloom’s study, one-on-one tutoring improves academic performance by two standard deviations.
- With student test scores declining and a global teacher shortage of 44 million, AI tutoring offers a timely, scalable solution.
- Endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education as a viable approach to personalized learning.
3. How the eSelf AI Tutor Works
- Delivers face-to-face interactive avatars that simulate real conversational engagement.
- Adapts continuously to student performance using machine learning algorithms.
- Supports multiple subjects with tailored guidance, visual content, and video generation.
- Multilingual capabilities enable instruction in the student’s preferred language.
4. Harvard’s Role and Educational Vision
- Harvard University serves as an academic advisor, evaluating effectiveness and educational design.
- Victor Pereira of Harvard highlights AI’s role in enhancing—not replacing—teachers and closing opportunity gaps.
5. Industry and Leadership Perspectives
- Tzachi Langer, VP at CET, emphasizes the role of AI in increasing confidence and academic potential.
- Dr. Alan Bekker, CEO of eSelf, underscores the global significance of this pilot and its alignment with equitable education.
6. Pilot Implementation and Roadmap
- Initial rollout will focus on Hebrew language instruction.
- Plans to expand to all subjects and grade levels in Israel.
- Designed to offer every student a customizable, responsive, and engaging learning experience.
The partnership between eSelf, CET, and Harvard is more than a technological milestone—it is a bold reimagination of personalized education at scale. By integrating adaptive AI tutors across Israel’s education system, this initiative is not just addressing urgent learning challenges—it’s redefining what equitable, effective education can look like in the 21st century.
