Best AI Tools for Students
The fact that most of the modern AI tools have been trained on a ton of content also makes them a great source of knowledge. And so many students are turning to them to learn new stuff and, yes, generate entire essays in seconds.
We won’t be focusing on cheating here and would rather highlight the tools that can really help students learn new things.
Such tools can help them between classes, learn a new language, or explore entirely new subjects from the ground up. In addition, there are tools that double as virtual tutors, making these available to the widest possible audience.
We would even say that the market for tutors will never be the same again now that everyone can have one available, even on their phone.
Here are the best AI tools for students:
Shiken
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- AI makes all the difference in a learning app
- Shiken's notes are really smart and very handy during learning
- Daily quotes and mindfulness help along the way
- You'll have to pay for the best results
Dubbed the “all-in-one learning app,” Shiken is an AI-powered service that helps you learn two times faster.
It does that with a combination of AI tutoring, quizzes, mindfulness and game design to help learners retain information for longer and improve engagement.
And it apparently works, with the company’s own research suggesting that 96% of learners surveyed report achieving higher grades with shorter learning times when using Shiken AI.
In order to get started, you should choose your subject and topic, then set yourself goals, deadlines and a time to learn to build habits and structure your learning. Then, add quizzes, courses and exams to your library from the Shiken store.
You can either play solo or against others live or on self-paced challenges. Along the way, you will be able to review explanations, save questions, take notes, unlock study buddies, and take meaningful breaks through Shiken’s mindfulness area.
At any time, you can track and share your progress and stay motivated with daily motivation quotes and nudges.
Shiken is free to try, and if you want to learn something new – you’ll want to check it out.
Mindgrasp by Apricot AI LLC
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- Having an AI-powered study buddy is cool
- The Chrome extension could be especially useful for researchers
- Not just for English students, Mindgrasp supports 10+ languages
- It would be nice to see a lower-cost or even free plan for students on a budget
Dubbed the “world’s #1 AI learning assistant,” Mindgrasp instantly creates notes, summaries, flashcards, quizzes, and answers questions from any document, YouTube video, Zoom meeting, webinar recording, podcast, and more.
The tool can “read for you” and can “handle” all kinds of documents, including books, essays, resumes, research articles, legal case files, etc. It can just as easily “watch for you,” which can come in handy when you don’t have time to join a webinar or don’t want to watch an hour-long video to get the key findings.
Once it “digests” the content, Mindgrasp can help you clarify and understand the material. Simply ask the AI assistant for clarifications on all kinds of subjects. It’s like your “study buddy” that can keep up with every move you make online thanks to the provided Chrome extension.
Mindgrasp is available in more than 10 languages and is already being used by over 100,000 students, as well as researchers and professionals (numbers from September 2023). The students, in case you wonder, come from such universities as Stanford, Princeton, MIT, The Ohio State University, and the University of Maryland.
Want to join them?
Talkio AI by Aidia ApS
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- There are more than 100 languages and accents to practice your speaking skills
- Works in a web browser, no need to install yet another app
- Instant translations are also cool
- A dedicated mobile app would be nice
Talkio AI is dubbed the “ultimate language training app” that uses AI technology to help you improve your oral language skills.
Available from the web browser, it lets anyone learn a new language with the help of an AI-powered tutor. These smart tutors are said to be the perfect companions to improve your oral language skills as they mimic human interaction and conversation — offering an immersive language learning experience that is both engaging and effective.
In addition to English, Talkio AI supports other languages — including Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and more. As such, it is appealing to a wider audience from both the East and the West.
As Talkio AI likes to put it, mastering a new language is more than just grammar and vocabulary — it is about expressing yourself confidently. And with AI-powered tutors, you can speak, practice, and conquer your language goals.
As of October, Talkio AI has been used by more than 400,000 people.
Google Lens Homework by Google
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- It's like having your own AI tutor in your pocket
- Using your voice and camera to get answers is cool
- All popular subjects are covered by Google Lens
- At the moment, it's an English-only app
Formerly called Socratic, Google Lens’ Homework feature uses the search giant’s powerful AI technology to help students understand their school work at a high school and university level.
Simply ask Google Lens Homework a question and the app will find the best online resources for you to learn the concepts. It supports most high school subjects, such as science, math, literature, and social studies — with more being added all the time.
The cool thing is that you don’t have to type it all. Instead, you can use your voice or camera to connect to online resources and understand any problem.
Once it understands the subject, Google Lens will help you find videos, step-by-step explanations, and everything else that will help you learn subjects at your own pace.
It’s not a generic search, mind you — Google partnered with teachers and experts to bring visual explanations to Google Lens, making it easier to learn the concepts behind any problem.
In a nutshell, this is one mobile app every student should have installed on their smartphones.
Duolingo Max by Duolingo
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
- Powered by OpenAI's powerful GPT-4 model
- More powerful than Super Duolingo, and yes - you can upgrade
- You can buy an individual subscription or a family plan to share with 5 other users
- Limited availability at the start
- These AI-based features cost extra
Duolingo Max is an AI-enabled service from the popular language learning platform Duolingo.
Building on top of the current Super Duolingo product, it provides learners with access to two brand-new features and exercises: Explain My Answer and Roleplay. Both are powered by OpenAI, which is best known as the company behind ChatGPT. In fact, Duolingo has been working closely with OpenAI for months to refine the technology (GPT-4) and get it ready for learners.
The Explain My Answer feature offers learners the chance to learn more about their response in a lesson, whether their answer was correct or incorrect. By tapping a button after certain exercise types, you can enter a chat with Duo to get a simple explanation and ask for examples or further clarification.
On the other hand, Roleplay allows learners to practice real-world conversation skills with world characters in the app. These challenges, which earn XP, will live alongside the path as one of the “Side Quests” learners can access by tapping on the character. For instance, you can discuss future vacation plans with Lin, order coffee at a café, go furniture shopping with Eddy, or ask a friend to go for a hike.
After every interaction, you get AI-powered feedback from Duo on the accuracy and complexity of their responses, as well as tips for future conversations.
As we’re writing this, the only courses that can utilize these new features are Spanish and French for English speakers on iOS. Also, Duolingo Max is available in select markets, including the U.S., Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Like that’s the case with Super Duolingo, Duolingo Max can also be purchased as an individual subscription or as a family plan to share with 5 other users.
How can AI help students?
There are different AI tools out there that could help students in one way or another. Sure, they could be used for cheating, but there are also completely legitimate use cases. Let us explore that, shall we?
-
Generate essay drafts
The keyword here is “drafts,” as we don’t want to promote cheating. Nevertheless, you can ask AI to generate an entire essay from a single sentence and then modify it to be unique. AI could provide inspiration and a great starting point.
-
Generate exercises
Students preparing for tests can use AI to generate exercises and then smash the test. Because of its vast knowledge base, AI tools can generate exercises on a number of subjects with ease. All you have to do is ask.
-
Create personalized study materials
You may be aware of the areas where you need the most improvement, so why not create personalized study materials for yourself? Yes, there are AI tools that will help you do just that – so you can focus on areas that matter the most to you.
-
Learn a new language
There are many AI tools like Duolingo Max that excel at language learning. They can generate exercises and flashcards, and let you practice conversations in different languages. You get a range of materials to practice, and they can improve their language skills in a more interactive and engaging way.
-
Virtual tutors
Tutors no longer have to cost an arm and a leg – with AI, everyone can have their own virtual tutor. Better yet, these virtual tutors tend to be way more knowledgeable than any human being. After all, they’ve been trained on more books than a single human being can read in their lifetime. They let you ask a question and get an instant answer. It’s that simple.
-
Create visual content
Sometimes, students will be tasked to create a visual representation of a subject and they could be stuck if they lack the proper skills in design software. Here too, AI can come in handy with its ability to generate different graphics and illustrations from a single text prompt. You can easily become a master of visual content with little effort and AI.
All in all, AI can help students excel in different ways and soon enough, we can imagine pretty much everyone using these tools in their education. If you’re a student and you’re still not using AI, now’s the time to change that. Go through this page and find the tool that will work for you. Good luck!