Teaching Tech

Using AI to Help Students Learn

When Ethan Debnath ('25 BS, Computer Science) and Sami Ali ('24 BS, Information Systems) met at UTA in 2020, they didn't think that four years later, they'd be on a journey to shape how students and universities utilize artificial intelligence.

Debnath and Ali co-founded Pluto Learning, a study platform designed to improve student success by using AI ethically to form study groups and provide 24/7 tutoring. In 2024, their idea won a total of $40,000 in funding through MavPitch, UTA's Shark Tank-style competition where students pitch business ideas.

Pluto Learning guides students through challenging concepts just like a teaching assistant would. Crucially, the platform's AI includes robust safeguards to ensure academic integrity.

“Our goal is to give students and academic institutions an AI platform they can trust,” Ali says. “As AI continues to gain prominence, institutions will enact policy regarding this tool, and we want to be at the forefront of that.” ₪