Former OpenAI researcher and founding member, Andrej Karpathy, has launched Eureka Labs, an “AI+Education” startup. Just months after departing OpenAI, Karpathy announced his new venture on X (formerly Twitter), describing it as a “new kind of school that is AI native.” The goal is to create a symbiotic relationship between teachers and AI, enabling “anyone to learn anything.”
Karpathy envisions an education system fundamentally built around AI. Human teachers will still develop lesson plans, but AI digital assistants will play a key role in the classroom, providing personalized support and enhancing the learning experience. He illustrated this concept by suggesting students could learn physics alongside a virtual Richard Feynman, guiding them through the material. This echoes Steve Jobs’ 1985 vision of interactive learning tools capable of capturing the knowledge of great minds and making it accessible to students.
To achieve this ambitious goal, Eureka Labs will launch LLM101n, an undergraduate-level course teaching students how to build their own miniature AI teaching assistant. The course will be available online and through in-person and virtual cohorts. Pricing, availability, and the effectiveness of this AI-native teaching method haven’t been disclosed yet, although a 2022 Georgia State University study suggests positive potential for AI-assisted learning.
Eureka Labs joins a burgeoning field of AI-focused education companies. Since ChatGPT’s launch, the sector has exploded, and UNESCO recognizes the potential of AI to address significant educational challenges and transform teaching and learning.
Future AI learning tools might include personalized educational games, adaptive learning platforms, AI tutors, and automated feedback systems. Eureka Labs isn’t alone in this pursuit; Google recently announced Gemini for Classroom, and AI apps like Caktus are designed specifically for students. The integration of AI in education is rapidly evolving, promising new possibilities for how we learn and teach.
