Artificial intelligence (AI) and adaptive learning tools are set to play a defining role in the future of education, according to experts from Khan Academy who spoke at a recent American Chamber of Commerce Egypt (AmCham) session. The event, hosted by AmCham’s Education Committee, explored how emerging technologies are reshaping teaching, learning, and policy in schools worldwide.
Held in Cairo under the title “Bridging the Gap Between Content Authenticity and Technological Innovation in Education,” the session brought together educators, school administrators, and policymakers to discuss the evolving role of AI in classrooms.
Two leading voices from the Khan Academy network—Emily Goldman, Manager of International Strategy and Operations, and Kelly Dalke, Guide Manager at Khan World School—shared insights into the organization’s global approach to education innovation.
Khan Academy is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free education for learners of all age groups. It offers instructional videos, interactive exercises, and personalized learning tools in subjects like math, science, and more. It was founded by Sal Khan in 2006.
Goldman emphasized the importance of mastery learning, a personalized method that allows students to move through material at their own pace. “Mastery learning is really the idea that students can move along a syllabus at their own pace… to develop a deeper understanding of each concept before they move on to the next one,” she said.
Dalke noted that adaptive technologies, when implemented effectively, can better support individual learning journeys and improve student outcomes across varied educational systems.
Goldman also presented data underscoring Khan Academy’s academic impact. She pointed to a 2021–2022 study involving 300,000 students, which found learning gains between 26% and 38% above expectations. Students who used the platform consistently not only outperformed their benchmarks but demonstrated ongoing improvement over time. “Using only about 30 minutes a week on the platform over a sustained period of time, we see students having outsized academic growth,” she said.
She added that Khan Academy has evolved from an open-access learning platform into a structured support system embedded in formal education. “The first piece of what we do in any country is we work with the local public school system to formally adopt Khan Academy,” she explained, noting that implementation is tailored to each district, state, or national context.
A Socratic AI assistant
A key highlight of the session was the introduction of Khanmigo, Khan Academy’s AI-powered tutor and teaching assistant. Goldman explained that Khanmigo, developed in collaboration with OpenAI, is built around established educational principles and designed to enhance learning without simply giving students the answers. “When students are stuck on a question, they can ask Khanmigo for support. But unlike ChatGPT, Khanmigo won’t tell them the answer… we’ve trained Khanmigo as a Socratic tutor,” she said.
The AI tool also assists teachers by streamlining classroom tasks—offering features such as automated lesson planning, student progress tracking, and real-time academic grouping based on learning data. “We were trying to build a technology that can allow teachers to bring students through an experience that is based on these principles, but at scale in a large classroom environment,” Goldman added.
She also underscored the need to develop AI literacy in education, noting that Khan Academy is expanding its resources to help teachers and students better understand the technology. “We’re building more content for teachers and students about how AI works—what should I be doing with it, what shouldn’t I be doing with it,” she said.
The hybrid model
Dalke shared how mastery learning and personalized education are put into practice at Khan World School, a hybrid program developed in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU). She described the initiative as “teacher-designed” and rooted in a mastery-based approach that allows students to progress at their own pace through a year-long curriculum delivered online.
Dalke emphasized the program’s focus on interdisciplinary learning and self-direction. “It follows the Khan Academy philosophy of that individual-centered student. All of the work that they do is pretty individual… it allows them to follow that mastery-based model where they can move quickly through a unit or a subject if they want to,” she said.
She also highlighted the school’s early college model, where high school students begin taking ASU courses to earn college credits. “We want our students by 11th and 12th grade to be able to take classes at Arizona State University and start gaining those college credits,” Dalke explained.
While the flexible structure offers significant advantages, Dalke acknowledged the challenges of scaling globally—particularly around managing multiple time zones for students and educators.
By the close of the session, the discussion had shifted from whether technology should be part of the classroom to how best to integrate it in a way that supports learners, educators, and entire education systems.
