Byju's, the edtech startup with the highest valuation globally, has been making frequent headlines in the recent past. Following a series of controversial reports, Byju's has now emerged with some positive news.

What Are Byju’s Trio AI Models Called? 

The edtech giant has unveiled a trio of AI-based learning models in a bid to enhance user outcomes and expand its educational offerings. The move comes at a crucial time for the company, which is currently embroiled in conflicts with lenders while awaiting much-needed funding.

The newly launched AI models, collectively known as Byju's WIZ, consist of Badri, MathGPT, and TeacherGPT. Byju's claims that these models boast an impressive 90 percent accuracy rate. Badri, which stands for Byju’s Attentive DateVec Rasch Implementation, is a predictive AI knowledge-tracing model. MathGPT utilizes machine-learning algorithms to solve complex math challenges, while TeacherGPT offers personalized guidance and the ability to grade student responses.

What Does Badri, MathGPT and TeacherGPT Do?

The initial model, Badri, serves as an anticipatory AI system that aims to detect potential challenges that learners might encounter when trying to comprehend certain concepts. By offering proactive recommendations to bridge knowledge gaps, Badri facilitates uninterrupted learning for students.

MathGPT, the second dedicated model, aids students in solving mathematical problems by presenting relatable analogies and visual aids. Its objective is to simplify intricate mathematical concepts and assist students in navigating through the problem-solving process.

The third model, TeacherGPT, functions as an AI-driven assistant that provides personalized guidance to learners, going as far as assessing and grading their responses.

What Are The Benefits of This AI Platforms?

One of the key advantages of these AI platforms is their potential to improve the teaching abilities of Byju's tutors. The company plans to conduct content audits using AI, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings.

By introducing AI-based learning models and focusing on expanding its offerings, Byju's aims to attract more students, optimize expenses, and ultimately navigate through the turbulent waters it currently finds itself in.

How Does Byju’s AI Models Work?

One notable aspect of BYJU'S AI model is its capacity to contextualize instruction according to students' interests, thereby enhancing the learning experience. The company claims that if a student is enthusiastic about cricket, for instance, the AI model can effectively explain complex concepts using cricket analogies.

BYJU'S underscores the extensive training undergone by its transformer models, which are part of the "Wiz" suite, utilizing the abundant data generated by its student community. The models have been fine-tuned with an accuracy rate of approximately 87 percent to align with specific curriculum boundaries.

Byju’s WIZ Is All Set To Revolutionize Personalised Learning

Dev Roy, the Chief Innovation and Learning Officer at Byju's, highlights the company's careful optimization of the models to manage costs and ensure efficient operation. He expresses the belief that BYJU'S WIZ will revolutionize personalized learning and represent a significant leap in educating future generations, focusing not only on "what to learn" but also on "how to learn."

How Will The AI Models Help Students?

BYJU'S intends to integrate these transformer models into various stages of a student's journey on its platform. The model named Badri will evaluate a student's progress based on their learning habits, offering personalized recommendations and tailored tests for each individual.

The company acknowledges its efforts in developing its own extensive language models. Recognizing the substantial impact of generative AI services in the edtech industry, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard, BYJU'S emphasizes the necessity of leveraging AI to enhance educational services. Failing to do so could potentially render certain edtech companies obsolete.

Recent Fundings Secured by Byju’s

In addition to the lender dispute, Byju's has been actively seeking a substantial funding round to address its immediate liquidity crisis. The infusion of funds would provide much-needed stability for the company. 

Byju's has already secured a USD 250 million funding round from Davidson Kempner through structured instruments and is currently in talks with sovereign funds based in the Middle East to raise an additional USD 700 million.

Founded over a decade ago by former teacher Byju Raveendran, the edtech giant has raised over USD 5 billion, a majority of which was secured within the last five years. 

Controversies Surrounding Byju’s

However, the announcement of these innovative learning models comes on the heels of a legal dispute between Byju's and its lenders. Byju's recently filed a case in the New York Supreme Court, accusing its lenders of predatory practices after the company failed to pay USD 40 million in interest on a loan raised in November 2021. This conflict has been ongoing for approximately six months, with lenders discontinuing debt renegotiation talks just last week, after five months of negotiations.

The company has faced criticism in the past 15 months due to accounting irregularities, allegations of course mis-selling, and significant layoffs. 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), India's financial probe agency, even conducted searches at Byju's offices in April under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Moreover, Byju's FY21 results were filed with an 18-month delay. These results revealed a slight drop in operating revenue compared to the previous year, which surprised many since the COVID-19 pandemic had provided a boost to the global edtech industry. Byju's losses in FY21 also swelled to over Rs 4,500 crore.