Study in Tennessee Finds Low Usage of AI Tutor Khanmigo Among Middle Schoolers

A two-year study in Tennessee randomly assigned low-performing students from 18 middle schools to use Khan Academy with AI tutor Khanmigo. Students used Khanmigo on only about a third of learning days, often sending off-topic messages or trying to get answers. Khan Academy students showed faster math gains, but researchers say benefits were not from AI. Khan Academy has redesigned its interface to better integrate Khanmigo.

This study provides key evidence on actual adoption of AI tutoring tools, showing that even when available, students may not actively use them. It directly influences the design of AI tutor products, suggesting a need for more proactive interaction and tighter content integration. It also distinguishes platform value from AI-added value, reminding educators and developers not to attribute platform effects to AI. AI tutor products may need to shift from passive waiting to proactive engagement to boost student participation. Education procurement decisions should be based on actual AI usage effects, not just overall platform performance.