All the Frontier Model Companies are Now offering Significant Educational Services
Google has been slowly making its way into the educational space, starting with its original release of the LearnLM paper.
At ISTE, they released a suite of tools that are similar to what can be found in Magic School, SchoolAI, and Flint.
Most significantly, in my mind, they teased the release a video NotebookLM that is interactive. I believe this is the foundation of a universal tutor, though they aren’t going to say that yet for obvious reasons.
OpenAI (* Microsoft)
OpenAI has been building partnerships with large university systems and have been teasing the development of educational tools, including, perhaps, their own NotebookLM called “Study Together.” (limited release)
This tool is currently in limited testing, visible to a subset of users in the ChatGPT interface, and has not yet been officially announced or widely released123.
Key Features and Functionality
Socratic Learning Approach:
Unlike traditional chatbot modes that deliver direct answers, "Study Together" encourages active learning by asking users follow-up questions, challenging their understanding, and prompting critical thinking. The AI acts more like a tutor or study coach, guiding users to construct knowledge themselves rather than passively receiving information425.Structured Study Sessions:
Early testers report that the tool allows users to select a subject and set objectives (such as completing a chapter or solving problems). The AI then organizes the session with timers, prompts, mini-quizzes, and scheduled breaks, resembling a "Pomodoro with purpose"—a structured, feedback-driven study routine6.Active Engagement:
The tool is designed to help users develop effective study habits, maintain focus, and deepen their exploration of topics. It breaks down complex subjects into manageable segments and tests users' retention and understanding through interactive questioning37.Potential for Collaboration:
There is speculation that future versions may allow multi-user sessions, enabling friends or classmates to join the same AI-driven study group. For now, the experience is solitary, but collaborative features could be introduced as the tool matures467.
Current Status and Availability
Testing Phase:
"Study Together" is currently available only to a small group of users, likely as part of an A/B test. There is no official launch date or public documentation yet, and the feature may evolve based on user feedback and further development235.User Reception:
Early feedback from testers has been positive, with many highlighting the tool's potential to make studying more engaging and effective. However, its full capabilities and future direction remain to be seen as OpenAI continues to refine the feature37.
Yesterday, they also announced, with Microsoft and the AFT, a new initiative to train public school teachers in AI.
Their arrangement with Mattel to put generative AI in toys is also interesting because AI interaction with children early own will allow such AIs to learn about children and potentially “personalize,” any future instruction. This would either require the child to continue to be education in said AI “system” or have the right to take what an AI systems knows about you to another system.
Anthropic
Today, Anthropic published Advancing Claude for Education.
This celebrates/features —
Deeper, in‑platform academic integrations – Claude will soon plug directly into:
Canvas (LTI) so students can chat with Claude inside their courses without switching tabs.
Panopto to pull lecture recordings and transcripts.
Wiley to surface peer‑reviewed articles and textbook chapters.
These connections rely on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), letting students cite authoritative material inside a single Claude conversation. (anthropic.com)
Privacy and data safeguards remain unchanged – All conversations are private‑by‑default and excluded from model training; institutional data exports are restricted and require formal approval. (anthropic.com)
Expanded university partnerships –
University of San Francisco School of Law will pilot Claude in an Evidence course to map claims, spot evidentiary gaps, and craft litigation strategies.
Northumbria University (UK) is adopting Claude for Education as part of a broader push for secure, ethical AI tools and digital equity. (anthropic.com)
More opportunities for students –
Student Ambassador Program is scaling 10‑fold for the fall cohort.
Claude Builder Clubs will launch worldwide, hosting hackathons, workshops, and demo nights so students of any major can build AI projects.
Anthropic has also released its first free AI Fluency Course. (anthropic.com)
Vision and next steps – Anthropic frames these moves as part of a long‑term effort to use AI to close learning gaps while guarding against ethical and equity pitfalls, stressing “thoughtful collaboration” with higher‑ed partners. (anthropic.com)
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While AI and the role these companies are playing in education is often controversial, they are stepping up to help prepare students for the emerging AI world.