eSelf, a startup that focuses on face-to-face, natural-feeling conversational AI agents, said it is partnering with the Center for Educational Technology to bring private AI tutors to students worldwide.
CET is Israel’s largest K-12 textbook publisher, with a leading position across all subjects and grade levels. As part of the pilot program, Harvard University will serve as an academic adviser, helping to shape the educational framework and measure its impact. This collaboration marks Israel as the first country in the world to implement AI-driven tutoring at a national level. The first pilot phase kicks off in May with 10,000 students, and during that month students will go through A/B testing.
A landmark study known as “The Two Sigma Problem” found that students who received one-on-one tutoring performed two standard deviations better than their peers in traditional classrooms – essentially turning C students into A students.
Today, that kind of intervention is needed more than ever: student test scores have fallen to record lows, and on top of it, the world is facing a severe teacher shortage, with UNESCO projecting a deficit of 44 million primary and secondary educators. Amid this growing educational gap and resource shortage, the U.S. Department of Education points to AI tutoring systems as a promising solution to scale personalized education and make effective tutoring accessible to all students.
CET and eSelf are giving students access to a smart digital tutor – an interactive avatar that acts as a face-to-face virtual companion inside and outside the classroom. The AI tutor will support students by helping them deepen their understanding of academic materials, practice independently, and prepare for exams. Leveraging advanced AI, the avatar continuously adapts to each student’s individual strengths and challenges, offering personalized guidance tailored to their unique learning profile.
eSelf said its tech has lower latency than ChatGPT’s Voice Assistant.
The company raised a seed round of $4.5 million in December 2024, and it has 20 people.
“We’re partnering with eSelf to provide a personal AI tutor to every student in Israel,” said Tzachi Langer, vice president of marketing and product at CET, in a statement. “This collaboration marks a significant global milestone in leveraging artificial intelligence for the education sector, and we expect it to redefine personalized learning for students. This partnership is just the first step in making AI a truly accessible tool for students nationwide, increasing educational equity and empowering Israel’s children to feel more confident in their academic capabilities and potential.”
“Education is one of the strongest predictors of future opportunity – yet access to quality support remains deeply unequal, at a time when it’s more critical than ever,” said Victor Pereira, faculty and co-chair of the teaching and teaching leadership program at Harvard University, in a statement. “As an educator dedicated to promoting equity and authentic learning for over two decades, I’m thrilled by eSelf’s transformative potential.”
Pereira added, “The partnership between eSelf, CET, and Harvard University creates an unprecedented opportunity to bridge socioeconomic gaps – giving every student a virtual tutor, no matter their background. This is precisely how AI should be integrated into education: not as a replacement for human educators, but as a powerful supplement that extends learning and promotes independence. It’s exactly the kind of thoughtful innovation we need – one that enhances how students learn and helps move education forward in a rapidly changing world.”
eSelf’s AI avatars are customizable in both appearance and personality, and go beyond traditional tools by generating images and videos to accompany lessons. These avatars create tailored visual explanations aligned with classroom content and respond directly to students’ questions – adapting to each learner’s level over time and refining the lesson accordingly.
To further personalize the experience, the avatars are multilingual, allowing students to engage in the language of their choice – all with ultra-low response times. This one-on-one approach helps create a more immersive, responsive, and effective educational experience. The pilot will begin with Hebrew language instruction and gradually expand to offer every K-12 student in Israel an AI-powered learning companion, delivering personalized support across a range of subjects.
“eSelf is making history as the first AI tutoring initiative to be deployed at a national scale,” said Alan Bekker, CEO of eSelf, in a statement. “It’s an honor to lead an effort that shows how AI can be used for good – leveling the playing field and supporting students at a time when the education system worldwide is under immense strain. We’re grateful to CET for their partnership and commitment to innovation, and to Harvard for helping ensure this initiative is grounded in evidence and impact. Together, we’re setting a new standard for what’s possible in education.”
CET, also known as Matach, is Israel’s largest educational publisher, providing learning materials and digital solutions to millions of students nationwide.
The compute cost is significant due to the visual generation engine as this isn’t a basic LLM, the company said. Students will pay for the AI tutors via subscription, likely around $10–$20/month. The broader rollout is planned for September 25 and will cover all subjects—including math, language, and even computer science.