Israel will act as a test site for implementing a national pilot initiative designed to enhance students’ learning abilities through cost-effective one-on-one tutoring provided by AI avatars that emulate individual human instructors.
An Israeli start-up called eSelf, which specializes in developing platforms for generating interactive digital avatars designed for direct conversations, has joined forces with the Center for Educational Technology (CET), Israel’s foremost publisher of textbooks for kindergarten through 12th grade, to launch an individualized AI tutoring solution accessible to pupils nationwide.
CET, which is also called Matach, is a non-profit group focused on improving Israel’s educational framework. This organization runs several online portals that offer study resources and technological aids to countless students throughout the country, covering all disciplines and academic stages.
Beginning in May, eSelf’s customized AI tutoring system will integrate with CET’s Ofek online learning platform. For this trial initiative, Harvard University will act as an academic consultant, shaping the approach and metrics used to gauge the educational effectiveness of eSelf’s AI tutor.
We’re teaming up with eSelf to offer each student in Israel a personalized AI tutor,” stated CET’s Vice President of Marketing, Tzachi Langer. “This collaboration marks the initial phase in ensuring that AI becomes an easily accessible resource for all students across the country, enhancing educational fairness and helping Israeli youth become more assured in their scholastic abilities and prospects.
Within this pilot initiative, students will be granted access to an exclusive AI-powered digital mentor both within and beyond the confines of the classroom. This assistant uses fluid conversational speech technology; it has been crafted to act as a personal virtual study partner who can engage in direct dialogue with learners, addressing their queries instantly through spoken responses. Additionally, it creates supplementary visual aids such as pictures and video content tailored for each lesson.
The avatars support multiple languages; however, the initial training for pilots will focus on Hebrew and encompass various topics such as mathematics, language studies, and literature. According to eSelf, access to these AI tutors will come with a monthly fee significantly lower than what one would pay for individual tutoring sessions.
The company’s platform enables users to develop personalized AI-driven video avatars—ranging from looks to dispositions—to interact with students via smooth vocal exchanges and live visual presentations, akin to virtual tutoring or one-on-one coaching sessions.
The conversational avatar can adjust to each student’s specific learning advantages and difficulties, providing tailored support as mentioned by the startup.
The initiative arises due to a scarcity of competent educators within the nation and because Israeli students have increasingly
scored
underperforming compared to most OECD nations in key areas like mathematics, science, and reading.
Education stands as one of the most powerful indicators of potential opportunities in the future—yet equitable access to high-quality resources continues to be severely imbalanced, particularly when such accessibility has never been more crucial,” stated Victor Pereira, who serves as faculty and co-chair for the Teaching Leadership program at Harvard University. “This collaboration among eSelf, CET, and Harvard University presents an unparalleled chance to narrow economic disparities—ensuring each student receives a virtual tutor regardless of their origins.
“This is precisely how AI should be integrated into education: not as a replacement for human educators, but as a powerful supplement that extends learning and promotes independence,” Pereira added.
Serial entrepreneur Dr. Alan Bekker and Elon Shoshan co-founded eSelf in 2023 to develop an AI platform for face-to-face communication between humans and machines. Users create and personalize their own avatars through an intuitive online studio that supports over 30 languages that can be deployed across industries from education, finance, to e-commerce. Bekker previously co-founded Voca.ai, acquired by Snap Inc. in 2020 for $70 million.
“eSelf is making history as the first AI tutoring initiative to be deployed at a national scale,” said CEO Bekker. “It’s an effort that shows how AI can be used for good – leveling the playing field and supporting students at a time when the education system worldwide is under immense strain.”
The post
Israel rolls out pilot for students to learn with conversational avatar companions
appeared first on
The Times of Israel
.
Never miss important Israel stories – get the free Times of Israel Daily Edition
