Digital Nation launched Saro, the world’s first proactive motivational AI in education, following an initial investment of $850,000.
Saro aims to transform the way students learn by addressing the growing need for engagement and interest in learning, which is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain in the age of technology and social media. For example, an internal survey conducted by Digital Nation shows that 9 out of 10 students say they wish they had been more involved in the course they were taking.
700,000 Google.org grant to develop Saro
The first investment in the project is a $700,000 grant from Google.org, with an additional internal investment of $150,000.
”Romania must rapidly accelerate the pace of investment in Artificial Intelligence, as it has the exceptional technical minds to build globally recognized solutions. Since 2022, we have launched an advanced in-house AI lab where we have experimented with over 50 different models: from specialized text and audio generation to emotion analysis, data classification, advanced search and interpretation, etc. We have also added the best engineers and experts to the dedicated AI team, and today I see them building a monumental technology that will be dedicated to the process of learning. I’m happy that the great teams at Google.org and Google Romania continue to support our work, and we’re excited about the future”, says Paul Apostol, founder of Digital Nation.
“In Romania, Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, is supporting Digital Nation with a $700,000 grant for Saro, an AI companion that acts as a tutor, providing advice and motivation to teenagers and young professionals. Google has been supporting the goals of Digital Nation since 2015, working with local and regional organizations. We’ve helped over half a million people (in Romania) learn new digital skills and helped over 10,000 Romanian businesses and startups benefit from technology through our Grow with Google and Google for Startups programs. Since last year, we’ve been focusing more on how AI can boost the economy, providing educational opportunities and training or retraining programs so that everyone is ready to use it to their advantage”, says Elisabeta Moraru, Google Country Director Google Romania.
Saro is the result of two years of development and testing of several AI-based tools and is an AI-based companion that tracks each student’s performance and knows their goals and habits to provide personalized support, fulfilling the role of a ‘best friend in education’.
Saro monitors the students’ interactions on the learning platforms on a daily basis and talks to them to assess their level of motivation. She uses this information to intervene before they abandon their studies for other activities. Saro provides encouragement, relevant content such as news in the field of study, and in-depth discussions about ambitions and the future.
Saro also collects relevant data for teachers and mentors, providing them with information on each student’s motivation, as well as feedback on the quality of teaching and level of difficulty.
The impact on students is impressive. Through her constant presence and support, Saro significantly reduces dropout rates, improves academic performance through over 40 engagement techniques, and increases student engagement and attention.
Concept tested and validated with nearly 1,000 learners
Saro is a tested and validated concept – it has been implemented with test groups in Generation Tech courses. Preliminary results show that young people and adults who interacted with Saro were 41% more likely to complete their homework than those who received traditional email or SMS messages.
User feedback was positive, with 9 out of 10 participants saying that interacting with the prototype helped them study more effectively or catch up on missed homework.
In Romanian universities from 2025
The solution is scalable and affordable, and can be easily integrated into universities, colleges or schools, using the data infrastructure already in place in most educational institutions (such as online catalogues, timetables, etc.).
In the first two years, Saro will reach 4,000 beneficiaries in Romania, of which more than 200 will be university students. Saro is designed to be useful and relevant in many educational and individual contexts. Although currently targeted at schools and universities, Saro has the potential to be used by anyone who wants to improve their learning experience and achieve personal goals.
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