Chinese Company Breaks into U.S. Market With Hybrid Learning Platform

A Chinese ed-tech company is making a play for the U.S. education market with the official rollout of its hybrid learning platform for higher education.

In a news release last month, Ambow Education described its HybriU platform as an interactive online and offline instruction program that uses artificial intelligence technology to help institutions enable their classrooms and laboratories for hybrid learning, with AI-powered functions to translate and create content.

Citing projections from the research firm Vantage Market Research estimating that the global online education market will reach more than $600 billion by 2030, the news release noted that Ambow is looking to deploy HybriU in large U.S. markets through strategic partnerships with colleges and universities. It said the program is made for institutions, workforce development organizations and corporations that wish to make courses available to more students, as well as smaller colleges looking to grow their out-of-state and international enrollment.

HybriU is one of several AI-driven ed-tech tools launched in recent months amid the growing popularity of online learning and generative AI programs, such as new AI-driven lesson planning and feedback functions on the online learning platform Coursera and Class Technologies’ A.I. Teaching Assistant.

"As the modern-day classroom evolves, our HybriU AI digital education solution places us at the forefront of the global education market's transition to digital and hybrid learning," Dr. Jin Huang, Ambow's president, CEO and acting chief financial officer, said in a public statement. "By leveraging our expertise in education and technology, we have created a distinct AI-driven platform that seamlessly connects online and offline learning models to capture the best aspects and functionality of both worlds. We see incredible potential with HybriU and its ability to effectively address the pain points expressed by students, educators and higher learning administrators, paving the way for the future of education."