Erika Hairston and Arnelle Ansong founded Edlyft, which offers group tutoring and study groups to help students flourish in computer science classes.
Google has recognized the potential of the firm launched by the couple in 2019. Google has purchased Edlyft AI Tutor, the company’s generative AI platform, according to Hairston and Ansong on Monday.
According to them, the purchase will help the firm increase the number of pupils it can serve. The acquisition follows Edlyft’s initial agreement with the internet behemoth in 2022 for Google internet Exchange.
Students at select Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) learn about applied data structures (ADS) through Google Tech Exchange. The collaboration enabled Edlyft to acquire hours of video footage from tutoring sessions and integrate it into the Edlyft AI Tutor.
“Historically, Edlyft affected students in the Google Tech Exchange program by matching them with an empathetic peer mentor who has already aced the course curriculum. In an interview with AFROTECH, Hairston noted that peer mentors are a valuable resource, but their time constraints limit their ability to support students on a consistent basis.
“From our perspective, in Google’s hands, the Edlyft AI Tutor will serve an increasing number of talented future engineers as the company develops its programs. We hope that every student feels seen when they watch videos of peer tutors who look like them and have been in their shoes teaching complicated subjects and answering their questions.
For example, if students type their questions into a chat box, the AI program will respond with a response and video clips from the Edlyft AI Tutor. Hairston and Ansong are excited to see how their technology will influence students at chosen HBCUs and HSIs via Google Tech Exchange.
“In Tech Exchange, CS basics meet cutting-edge tech to equip students with the skills they need to navigate the ever-evolving tech landscape,” Google’s education equity team head, Jess Hill, said in the purchase announcement.
“Our partnership with Edlyft has already amplified learning outcomes, and we’re thrilled to unlock even deeper impact through their AI-powered platform, which will amplify effective support and ignite every student to thrive.”
Hairston and Ansong started Edlyft after graduating from Yale and Stanford, with the intention of making the tech industry more accessible. Hairston spoke with Her Campus about their thriving software firm, which has crossed seven figures in revenue and raised millions of dollars in venture financing since its inception.