A.I.-based Learning Market Watch

A.I.-based Learning

Market Watch

BY SAM S. ADKINS

In Metaari’s seminal market research report, called The 2019-2024 Global A.I.-based Learning Market, published in March 2019, we forecasted that the revenues for this new type of learning technology will reach well-beyond $3.8 billion by 2024.

Within the report, we identified eight major catalysts driving the rapid adoption of A.I.-based Learning across the globe. Perhaps the most significant catalyst is the penultimate achievement of true preconized learning.

A.I.-based Learning has proven to be quite effective at one-to-one personalized instruction and is tremendously scalable — as scalability serves as a vital attribute to A.I.-based Learning. In addition, A.I.based Learning platforms can provide individualized tutoring

to thousands of users simulta-

neously.

EASIER ACCESS TO A.I.-BASED LEARNING

The spike in private investment going to A.I.-based Learning companies is one of the eight catalysts identified in the report. “The massive amounts of investments being made to A.I.-based Learning is clear evidence of the booming market. More than $4.7 billion was invested in A.I.-based Learning companies in 2017 and 2018.

The barriers to entry are now quite low since developers can connect to commercial cloudbased A.I. engines. New lowcost, easy-to-use A.I.-based Learning tools are coming on the market at a rapid rate. Companies can get to market quickly by using the commercial platforms and the new nocode and low-code authoring tools. There are marketplaces that sell inexpensive premade components. Developers are essentially assembling reality, not developing it from scratch.

IBM, Microsoft, Google and Amazon all operate online marketplaces that distribute premade A.I. models, algorithms, bot templates, Conversational A.I.s, and “agent behaviors.”

Innovations in A.I.s used in the healthcare sector are a major catalyst driving the adoption of A.I.-based Learn-

ing across the globe. Another catalyst is the emergence of therapeutic A.I.s for people with special needs. These products have proven particularly effective at treating children along the autism spectrum.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Another major trend driving the demand for A.I.-based Learning is the near insatiable consumer demand for A.I.s that are designed to teach kids to code. They are one of the most popular instructional products on the market and are often called smart toys.

In the report, we identify Conversational A.I., a major type of Natural Language Processing (NLP), as the core foundation of all A.I.-based Learning. Conversational A.I.s interact with users via audio and digital text. Another catalyst driving the A.I.-based Learning market across the globe is the rapid uptake of A.I. tutors in the academic segments. They tend to be physical bots in the pre-K to 12 segment and virtual bots in the higher education segment.

Conversational A.I.s used in pre-K to 12 schools are mostly used for two subject domains: language learning (particularly for young children) and STEM. Higher education institutions use A.I.-based chatbot tutors, virtual counselors and student advisors. One of the best-known cognitive computing platforms is IBM’s Watson and developers are building out advanced learning technology products on top of Watson’s cloud-based platform. Pearson, Apple, Blackboard, Scholastic, Sesame Street, Edmodo (now owned by China’s NetDragon) and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt are selling new educational products built on Watson. All of them have global reach.

Watson is not the only A.I. platform being used for A.I.-based Learning. Pearson launched its Longman Welcome to English curriculum in Asia in February 2018 on Microsoft’s A.I. Cerego’s adaptive learning platform, which is used by more than 500 enterprise companies, governmental agencies and educational institutions, and runs on Amazon’s A.I.

Primary Catalysts Driving the Global A.I.-based Learning Market

Barriers-toEntry are Now Quite Low

A.I.based Learning Delivers True Personalized Learning

Private Investment Flowing to A.I.based Learning Startups

Rapid Uptake of Support Bots and Avatars in the Corporate Segment

Primary Catalysts Driving the Worldwide A.I.-based Learning Market

Innovation in A.I.-based Learning in Healthcare

The Growing Use of Intelligent Tutors in the Academic Segments

Bots and Virtual tutors for Kids in High Demand Across the Planet

Use of Therapeutic Tutoring Bots for People With Special Needs

New commercial marketplaces that sell A.I. components are rapidly driving down costs and are strong secondary catalysts lowering the barriers to entry very quickly.

A.I.-based Learning has proven to be quite effective at one-to-one personalized instruction and is tremendously scalable — as scalability serves as a vital attribute to A.I.-Learning.

THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE

Finally, a major catalyst is the adoption of A.I.-based Learning in the global corporate and government segments. A.I. has reinvented several legacy enterprise applications, including business intelligence, business process management, data analytics and visualization, knowledge graphing, knowledge management and decision support. Extraordinary new products are coming on the market.

The report identifies greater than 940 A.I.-based Learning companies operating in 126 countries. There is now wide adoption in all six of the buying segments tracked by Metaari. It’s official … A.I.-based Learning has gone mainstream.

Interested in learning more? The report is available for purchase at Elearning! Magazine’s Premium Research site, http://www.2elearning.com/ research/.

— Sam S. Adkins is Chief Researcher at Metaari.