In March 2025, I interviewed Geoffrey Hinton, the 2024 Nobel Laureate often referred to as the “Godfather of AI.” I asked him about Weil’s vision of AI improving student outcomes a hundredfold by 2030. Hinton thought Weil was overly optimistic, suggesting instead that we could expect a fourfold improvement. The key difference? Hinton was referring to current results, while Weil was envisioning future potential. Either way, the message is clear: personalized AI tutoring can dramatically improve learning outcomes. That’s why it’s so puzzling that some schools and universities are still banning the use of AI.

Author Jim Harris laughing with Nobel Laureate Geoffrey Hinton

Case Study: Personalized AI Tutor

The case for AI tutors is compelling. Personalized instruction can adapt to individual learning styles, helping each student learn in the way that works best for them.

Adeel Khan is the founder of Magic School. It’s an AI startup with the mission of making teachers’ lives easier and improving student outcomes by giving educators powerful, safe AI tools. I met him at Web Summit in Vancouver and interviewed him about his startup’s successes.

A teacher in Denver implemented Magic School’s tool for improving writing in his class. The teacher uploaded the rubric for that statewide exam (a rubric is the way a student’s work is graded). The tool gave student immediate feedback every day on their writing skills, each day focusing on a different part of the rubric.

The students had a 28% increase in the statewide testing. It’s important to note that the teacher had no special training, and the school board didn’t promote this initiative. So what could be achieved with a concerted, systematic approach?

Adeel himself used to be a teacher. He had 140 students across five periods every day. He pointed out that a single teacher can’t give individualized feedback to every student every day on their writing skills, but an AI can.