A Year of Tracking AI Products for Kids - by Mike Overell
Earlier this year, we launched Dojo Sparks at ClassDojo—an AI-powered reading coach that listens as kids sound out words and gives real-time feedback. Since then, I’ve been watching the world of AI products for kids even more closely, and testing them at home with my kids. I started tracking companies in a spreadsheet. A year later, it’s 140+ entries. Some are exciting. Most will fail (no judgment—it’s just extremely hard building in this space). A few are solving problems that matter. Here’s what I’ve found. I’m not going to cover all 140+ products. Here are the ones I’ve tested with my kids that are worth knowing about. Ello is most advanced AI reading coach I’ve seen for young kids, outside of Sparks. It listens to your child read aloud, coaches fluency in real-time, and actually keeps them engaged. Dojo Sparks (disclosure: I’ve worked on this) takes a different approach—focusing on phonics and letter sounds for ages 3-9. Sparky listens as kids sound out letters and adapts to their
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