Tutors & AI

By Brayden White

For years, students had very few resources; they could use their textbook, youtube, or any of their class notes – but that was about it. Then there was the other option: supplemental tutoring. However, for many families, this was too expensive of an option to be feasible – with many tutors charging up to $275/hr. Even with private tutoring, if you got stuck at 10:30 PM the night before a chemistry exam, you were stuck. Now, there is finally something you can do: AI tutors capable of input, output, and personalized explanations. What makes AI tutors different isn’t just the fact that they are free. Rather, the fact that students can have individualized, on demand explanations for truly any concept from the comfort of their home evens the playing field - no matter the background you are from, with AI tutoring, you can now succeed. To understand how significant this is, you first must understand the tutor economy. For the last two decades, private tutors has been one of the drivers of academic success in America. For example, many students who use a private tutor for the SAT score around 150 points higher than those self-studying. This translates into different colleges, different jobs, and again, different amounts of wealth. Basically, families who could afford tutoring gave their children a head start that many were not fortunate enough to have. This is why AI tutoring is so transformative. For the first time, the benefits of a private tutor are widely accessible. A student in a public school can now gain access to the same elite concept breakdowns as someone who is enrolled in private tutoring. A student who is falling behind in math can now gain access to step by step explanations of the exact question they are having trouble with – and then practice another 20 variations of the same problem. For years, this type of tutoring was reserved for families – now everyone has access. However, closing this gap brings up a new question: if everyone can access this academic advantage, what is the new advantage that students can have? The answer lies in how AI is used. Some students will use it for deep explanations and to truly understand the content, while others will fall behind by using it as a shortcut instead of a tool. However, human tutors will not disappear in this new environment. Rather, their role will change. Now that AI can already review essays, help with homework, and generate extra problem sets, no one will pay $200/hr anymore for that. Instead, people will pay high prices for coaching, motivation, and long-term planning — things AI cannot do. In many ways - AI forces tutors to move upmarket. Instead of just reviewing algebra, tutors will start to focus on strategy: good study habits, time management – things that are applicable after a normal Calculus test. Ironically, this could make the best tutors even more valuable - such as SAT prep tutors, while just eliminating the middle tier. This new world is a healthier tier of academic advantage: instead of wealth determining success, we are moving to a world where curiosity and discipline matter more. The final question: What happens when everyone has a tutor? The answer, over time, will be better learning, fairer competition, and a generation of students who are no longer stuck at 10:30 the night before a chemistry test.