edX, a leading global online learning platform that exists to help learners everywhere unlock their potential, has recently announced the launch of two AI-powered innovations: the new edX plugin for ChatGPT and edX Xpert, an AI-powered learning assistant on the edX platform. Both tools leverage the technology of AI research and deployment company OpenAI to deliver real-time academic support and course discovery to help learners achieve their goals.
According to the company, edX ChatGPT plugin is part of the initial wave of plugins available for ChatGPT Plus users. It enables users to seamlessly discover educational programs across edX’s library of 4,200 courses and access in-depth learning resources on select advanced topics — beginning with Circuits and Electronics. As users engage with ChatGPT on topics that interest them, the plugin will instantaneously provide course recommendations, content, videos, and quizzes, with direct links to access edX.org courses.
The company has also introduced edX Xpert, which leverages the ChatGPT API to provide learners with real-time, personalized academic and customer support as they engage in online coursework from leading universities and institutions worldwide. These new capabilities will enhance edX’s industry-leading student support services, designed to drive best-in-class outcomes for learners engaged in online academic programs on the edX platform, from free courses to technical boot camps to complete degrees.
Speaking about the initiative, 2U Co-Founder and CEO Christopher “Chip” Paucek said:
Generative AI’s incredible capabilities will only amplify the value edX delivers to learners worldwide. By leveraging the intelligence and adaptability of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we are creating more personalized and engaging experiences that enable learners to achieve great academic and career outcomes. Today’s announcements are just the first of many innovations edX is developing to harness the power and potential of generative AI, from new platform capabilities to cutting-edge new educational programs on AI-related topics.
The Xpert learning assistant is trained to provide friendly and intelligent conversational support across various learner needs. Working alongside edX’s career coaches, student success managers, tutors, and 24/7 live technical support specialists, will provide learners with an added layer of real-time, interactive guidance to support great student outcomes. It is powered by the incredible breadth and depth of information available across thousands of educational offerings in edX’s content portfolio and millions of learner interactions from edX’s learner support offerings.
Xpert is currently in pilot, with additional learners gaining access throughout 2023. New features will be released in stages, including:
Academic Assistance: Xpert will offer learners personalized assistance with coursework and assignments. Learners can ask Xpert to break down complex concepts from the course material, answer follow-up questions, recommend additional modules, and quiz learners to help check their comprehension.
Course Discovery: As a guide and partner, Xpert will help connect learners with the proper learning for their career goals and educational background. Factoring a learner’s prior experience and knowledge with their desired program length, Xpert will help to match learners with best-fit program options to learn the skills to meet every professional moment.
Customer Service: Xpert’s customer service functionality will provide clear advice and step-by-step solutions instantaneously to help eliminate any technical barriers to learning encountered while on the platform.
Course Content Summaries: Xpert can generate brief, helpful summaries of video lectures and text material within courses. This allows learners to quickly identify relevant content for learning, reviewing, or reinforcing concepts, helping to maximize the time they spend learning on the platform. Currently, this feature is available in the program built from the first-ever MOOC on edX – MITx’s Circuits and Electronics – with plans to roll it out across the more comprehensive portfolio.
Chief Platform Officer of 2U, Founder of edX and MIT Professor, Anant Agarwal, added:
We’re seeing a massive spike in interest from learners in AI. Leveraging AI to build cutting-edge capabilities that provide a more personalized experience for learners will be highly impactful in maximizing learning on the edX platform. These latest developments impact edX’s leadership in delivering quality student support and driving impactful outcomes. We look forward to continuing to unlock AI’s potential to transform how we work and learn.
edX continues to build on OpenAI’s ChatGPT API to drive additional opportunities to help learners everywhere access the education and support they need to fuel their ambition and achieve their goals.
Founded by Harvard and MIT in 2012, edX aims to increase access to high-quality education for everyone, everywhere, enhance teaching and learning on campus and online, and advance schooling and learning through research. The company connects 76 million people worldwide with the skills, knowledge and support to achieve their goals. With the world’s leading universities and companies, edX offers thousands of free and open courses, professional certificates, bootcamps, credit-bearing micro-credentials, and undergraduate and graduate degrees.
In November 2022, edX partnered with Emeritus, a leading provider of high-quality online courses, to give its growing international community of learners more access to relevant and affordable online programs from top-tier institutions worldwide.
