A*STAR I2R researchers are driving AI innovation across industries, including breakthroughs in education that enhance learning outcomes and engagement. One of the notable AI for Education innovations is SingaKids AI Tutor, a home-based multimodal, multilingual AI tutor.
SingaKids AI Tutor is an interdisciplinary endeavour to integrate pedagogy, machine learning and linguistics in AI technology to complement the current efforts by educators.
Featured within the Library Superstore section of the SG60 Heart&Soul Experience, see SingaKids AI Tutor in action from 26 August to 31 December 2025.
Singapore stands out for its rich linguistic diversity, with widespread proficiency in both English and ethnic languages such as Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. However, a steady decline in the use of these ethnic languages at home, particularly among the younger generations, is gradually diluting this competitive cultural and linguistic edge.
SingaKids AI Tutor supports effective language learning among primary school children from ages 6-8 in communicating confidently in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. By enhancing multilingual exposure at home, our applied research complements classroom learning and equips educators with deeper insights into each student’s progress through data gathered beyond school settings.
Design Approach
Unlike conventional learning tools, SingaKids AI Tutor engages students through visual prompts, such as pictures, to spark natural conversations and build language proficiency in a more interactive and intuitive way. It is especially suited for students just beginning their primary school journey.
As these younger children have limited attention span, the ability to sustain their interest is key to increase their motivation to learn. In addressing this challenge, the research team focused on modelling engagement through speech signals — an approach that reduces privacy concerns compared to video-based methods.
The ability to detect and assess student engagement through voice inputs sets the AI Tutor apart. The system then generates personalised feedback and adapts its teaching style in real time, ensuring that students remain motivated and attentive throughout the learning process. Powered by cutting-edge multimodal generative AI techniques, the system delivers a deeply personalised and responsive learning experience for every learner.
While deep learning has fuelled major developments such as large language models, those models are known to hallucinate, causing factually incorrect text to be generated. Such limitations are especially concerning in high-stakes fields like education, which the team has addressed through advances in controllable neural generation.
To ensure the effectiveness and relevancy of this innovation, the research team included education scientists from National Institute of Education, who supported the design philosophy and conducted user studies in local primary schools to validate the developed solutions.
SingaKids AI Tutor is expanding to include support for math and science learning in addition to language learning in on-going research projects.
By combining cutting-edge technology, linguistic diversity and educational expertise, we aim to revitalise the usage and appreciation of ethnic languages to preserve Singapore's unique competitive edge in multilingualism. This innovation reflects A*STAR I2R’s commitment to advancing inclusive, human-centric AI solutions that support education from an early age.
SingaKids AI Tutor is featured within the Library Superstore section of the SG60 Heart&Soul Experience from 26 August to 31 December 2025. Go to www.heartandsoul.gov.sg to book your free tickets today.