Thanks to Microsoft, teachers can now spend a lot more time teaching.

Just a few days after Google unveiled Gemini Education, a special add-on to Google's Gemini designed specifically for educational institutions, Microsoft announced another injection of AI into the classroom.

Also: How Microsoft's new AI Copilot features could transform teamwork and projects

The company is partnering with Khan Academy to provide free access to an education-focused AI tool, Khanmigo for Teachers, to any K-through-12 educator in the US. It's available right now, just in time for teachers to plan things like summer reading lists.

First deployed last year, the tool previously cost$4 per month.

Khanmigo, now powered by Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service, goes beyond serving as an AI tool that responds to prompts -- it offers a suite of built-in features designed specifically for educators.

Aside from a basic AI prompt for lesson plan or discussion prompt generation, Khamnigo features several other tools, including:

• A class snapshot reviews students' performance and trends.
• An IEP assistant lets teachers create targeted education plans and reading lists for students in need of extra support.
  
• A leveler feature adjusts text for various reading levels.
  
• A translation tool makes text understandable for multi-language learners.
  
• A report card tool generates personalized, constructive report card comments.
  
• An exit ticket creates quick end-of-lesson assessments to check students' understanding.
  

In short, teachers can spend less time prepping lessons and more time with students. A recent study from EducationWeek showed that teachers usually spend more than 50% of their workload on non-teaching tasks. Khanmigo can handle many of those tasks in just a few moments.

Also: Microsoft releases upgrades to Azure AI Speech at Build 2024

Khanmigo can not only free up a teacher's time, but also offer access to creative teaching methods that help engage students in new ways, allow teachers to provide specialized support to students who need it, and help teachers connect with kids and parents.

Khan Academy says that Khanmigo has been trained on nationwide standards and will work in harmony with -- not replace -- standard teaching.

To access Khanmigo, teachers can sign up at www.khanmigo.ai/teachers

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• Back to school: The top deals on essential tech for students
• Our favorite free online tech courses with certificates
• The pandemic's surprising impact on K-12 computer science education
• The best information technology bootcamps
• No diploma? Here are 5 tech jobs you can hold with no degree