AI Large Models to Drive Transformation in the Education Industry
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On July 26, NetEase Youdao released the application results of its 'Ziyue' educational large model series. Features such as English translation and AI essay guidance stood out prominently. NetEase Youdao CEO Zhou Feng remarked, 'AI large models, with natural language learning technology at their core, will bring profound transformations to the education industry. The powerful language understanding and generation capabilities of large models can provide personalized analysis and guidance, effectively reducing the cost of one-on-one education while enhancing learning outcomes.'
Industry experts noted that AIGC (Generative AI) holds immense potential in the education sector, significantly lowering costs and improving the efficiency of educational resource utilization. Its applications in smart classrooms and intelligent assessments are particularly promising. The demand for C-end educational training remains robust, and continued investment in educational informatization will drive rapid growth in B-end market demand.
Leveraging the Advantage of Personalized Education
Building on years of expertise in English translation technology and products, NetEase Youdao introduced applications of its large model, including LLM translation, AI essay guidance, grammar tutorials, and virtual oral coaches.
Zhou Feng emphasized that large models in education can capitalize on personalized teaching advantages, not only enhancing tailored analysis and feedback but also fostering guided learning to develop students' independent learning abilities and critical thinking. Additionally, large models facilitate interdisciplinary knowledge integration, enabling cross-disciplinary searches and content creation.
According to Zhou Feng, the adoption of large model technology has significantly improved Youdao Translation's language comprehension and accuracy, with smoother and more natural text processing. 'The new LLM-based translation feature will launch in the third quarter of this year,' he added.
For virtual oral coaching, 'Teacher Echo' serves as a private tutor for spoken English, engaging users in open-ended conversations and providing comprehensive feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and coherence post-dialogue.
In AI essay guidance, the 'Ziyue' educational large model offers support in topic analysis, creative ideation, structure organization, and material selection, along with improvement suggestions and critiques of well-phrased sentences to enhance students' thinking and writing skills.
Furthermore, NetEase Youdao has integrated the 'Ziyue' educational large model into hardware products like Youdao Translation Pens. A new product is set to debut in August.
Duan Yitao, Chief Scientist at NetEase Youdao, explained that to create distinctive large model applications for education and language learning, the technical team optimized the 'Ziyue' model extensively, focusing on translation instruction adherence, dialogue relevance, pronunciation evaluation, and problem-solving steps. The model's data draws from long-term accumulations in Youdao Dictionary, Youdao Translator, and NetEase Cloud Classroom.
Broad Application Prospects
AI large model technology is empowering transformative changes in the education industry, with vibrant market activity. Key players in the domestic market include NetEase Youdao, iFlytek, and Baidu.
iFlytek reported that its Spark Cognitive Large Model has significantly enhanced user experience in scenarios like AI tutor-assisted Chinese and English essay coaching, spoken language learning, and iFlytek Hear.
NetEase Youdao's Q1 2023 financial results showed that the introduction of the AIBox feature in Youdao Translation received widespread positive feedback, driving a nearly 200% year-on-year increase in monthly revenue for Youdao Dictionary memberships.
Regarding cost control, Zhou Feng told China Securities Journal, 'This year, NetEase Youdao has prioritized resources for AI projects. Given our long-term expertise in AI product development, the investment in AI projects hasn’t significantly increased costs, and the financial pressure is manageable.'
The AI education market holds vast potential. According to iResearch's '2022 China Educational Smart Hardware Market and User Insights Report,' parents are highly receptive to smart educational hardware products. In 2022, China's smart education hardware market reached RMB 43.1 billion, growing over 20% year-on-year, with double-digit growth expected over the next four years.
Industry insiders highlighted that AIGC technology can drastically reduce educational costs, improve resource efficiency, and enable resource sharing. Beyond consumer applications, AIGC+education has broad prospects in smart classrooms, intelligent assessments, and enrollment processes.
Dongwu Securities noted that AIGC has substantial potential in education, with the C-end training market remaining hot. As investments in educational informatization grow, B-end market demand will continue to rise.