At the time, the world was just being introduced to the concept of online learning and an active, flipped classroom experience. Some people were skeptical and thought students would never be able to learn effectively.

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Today, nearly every student has had experience with online learning. This is in part due to the pandemic but also the flexibility and availability of distance learning. Individuals can get study help, gain certifications, and even graduate with full-fledged degrees, all from the comfort of their laptops. 

This transformation likely would not have happened without the push of leaders like Sal Khan. Today, Khan Academy has more than 155 million registered users, with students spending billions of hours of learning on the platform.

But like the gradual acceptance of online learning, the world of education is now experiencing a similar change. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing not only the way people work but also how students learn and teachers teach. 

“Generative AI allows us to get much closer to giving every student and every teacher the support that they need,” Khan tells Fortune. “And to be clear, I think that the teacher is always going to play a critical role. I don’t think this is going to be one of those fields that AI somehow undermines. But AI is going to hopefully make teachers feel much more supported.”

State of education: a mixed bag

Compared to 10 years ago, Khan says many aspects of education have gotten worse, and the pandemic only exacerbated many existing problems with student success and teacher burnout. In fact, the pandemic wiped out decades worth of progress in math and literacy, and it is hard to find a school district these days that is not facing a shortage of teachers.

However, thoughts about best practices in education have improved in Khan’s opinion—with things like personalized and competency learning. Using class time actively, as compared to just lecturing, has become more widely accepted. 

The digital divide in the classroom has also closed dramatically, with many students across the country having access to devices at school and at home, Khan notes. At the same time, increased pressure on teachers to utilize education technology has stretched educators’ already thin schedules.

The difference with generative AI, Khan says, is that it not only will help students learn, but it will drastically assist teachers in day-to-day tasks like formulating lesson plans, grading papers, and writing progress reports.

He also admits while ChatGPT—particularly the free-to-use GPT-3.5 is not perfect—teachers have a good instinct to know right from wrong. Plus, generative AI is set only to increase accuracy. 

“I think that what’s interesting is there’s an opportunity where teachers are naturally going to pull this tool for their own use, which then might be a nice way of helping bring it into the classroom generally, so they can use it for both them and their students,” Khan notes.

Khanmigo: a glimpse into the future?

Khan Academy’s solution to the integration of AI in education is Khanmigo, a googly-eyed AI chatbot that promises to be a tutor for learners and an assistant for teachers.

“If a student has a question, who’s struggling with a concept on Khan Academy, it can really act Socratically— not cheat—but help the student nudge them forward,” Khan says.

For example, Khanmigo can be used to ask for help with a math equation or brainstorm ideas for an essay topic. It can also help educators plan lessons and give insightful student feedback.

The GPT-4-powered tool is being piloted by 30,000 to 40,000 individuals in real school districts. Others can try it by making a $9 monthly donation or $99 annually to offset GPT-4 access fees. Khan says he is hoping to bring down the cost soon.

Khan says it is envisioned to allow students to engage with literary characters, act as a college or guidance counselor, or give feedback on writing prompts. 

But Khanmigo is not the only AI tool in the world of online education. Other learning support platforms, like Chegg and Quizlet, have released their own plans for integration.  

What sets Khan Academy and Khanmigo apart is the commitment to helping students learn and be supported through pedagogically sound interaction and guardrails, Khan explains.

“One of our principles is it’s not about cheating,” Khan notes. “It’s about helping you and supporting you. It won’t write the essay for you, but it will act like an ethical writing coach.”

Companies that are more focused on cheating instead of learning are in trouble, he adds—especially since students could just use ChatGPT alone for those problems.

“I think what differentiates us is we’re not just trying to check a box, we are trying to make this a truly magical experience,” he says.

Moving forward, Khan Academy is looking to introduce voice and memory into the AI tool, which will give students a more personalized learning experience and be able to report back to parents and teachers.

The future of AI-classroom integration

Khan admits that while GPT-4 won’t be able to recreate the full educational experience of Khan Academy, it is unclear the potential of say a GPT-6 or 7.

He does, though, envision classrooms where AI is part of day-to-day learning. Teachers may ask students to use AI like Khanmigo to interview Ben Franklin or other historical leaders and learn through asking questions or debating.

“You’re gonna start having classrooms where the teachers—it’s gonna be a bit of The Magic School Bus— where they’re like, put on your Apple headsets, we’re gonna go hang out in ancient Rome just for the next hour.”

Looking toward the next 10 years— Khan predicts classrooms will feel similar but will have more AI integration. For example, cameras may be able to track students’ attention and nudge them with encouragement or alert teachers of disengagement.

While this sort of integration may not be across the board and be executed perfectly initially, it will be transformational in many education spaces, he says.

Regardless of where the future takes Khan, he adds his commitment to providing a free, world-class education for everyone, which will remain his priority.