Powering Personalized Learning with AI: Cengage Student Assistant Expansion Delivers New GenAI Capabilities to 1M+ Students

BOSTON – April 8, 2025 – Cengage, the higher education business of global edtech company Cengage Group, today announced expanded availability of its generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool, Student Assistant. This fall, more than one million students will have access to Student Assistant.

Embedded into Cengage’s online learning platform, MindTap, Student Assistant guides students through the learning process, providing access to relevant resources right when they need them with tailored, just-in-time feedback, and the ability to connect with key concepts in new ways. The Student Assistant does not provide answers, rather, it supports students in understanding concepts and applying learnings to confidently reach the correct answer on their own.

Following a fall 2024 beta launch, Cengage partnered with students and faculty to understand the value of Student Assistant and continually adapt new capabilities, including:

• Expanded and Enhanced Placement in the Learning Process: Student Assistant is now seamlessly integrated throughout the learning experience and supports more complex question formats. This ensures students receive comprehensive, personalized support across various learning activities. Additionally, enhanced contextual linking capabilities allow Student Assistant to directly link responses to relevant chapters, images, videos and other resources, providing students with immediate access to supplementary materials that help improve their understanding.
• Broader Course Offerings: With coverage of over 100 products, Student Assistant is now accessible to more than one million students, providing tailored assistance to meet diverse educational needs. This expansion includes several market-leading products such as Principles of Economics by Mankiw, Anatomy & Physiology by Co, and Precalculus by Stewart and more.
• Instructor Insights and Analytics: Educators now have access to valuable insights into student performance, usage statistics and logs for review, providing instructors with a better understanding of student needs to address learning challenges and enhance the learning experience.

“At Cengage Group, we are laser-focused on introducing innovation that addresses the challenges facing educators and students today,” said Darren Person, Chief Digital Officer, Cengage Group. “We have taken a unique approach to developing the Student Assistant, working side-by-side with learner and faculty customers to evolve our AI technology to best support engagement and outcomes while focusing on data security and privacy as core tenants. We’ve received encouraging feedback and support for this tool and look forward to getting this technology into the hands of more learners across a wide range of courses.”  

Cengage’s patented GenAI approach leverages intelligent language models, alongside Cengage content, to tailor the Student Assistant to a specific product within the Cengage portfolio. Student Assistant prioritizes pedagogy and has advanced expertise but is confined to the knowledge of that associated product. Additionally, within each product, instructors and students train the Assistant to ensure accuracy and academic integrity. This proprietary training methodology helps focus the technology and creates a better learning experience for the student.  

Cengage Group is committed to advancing the way students learn including the use of AI as well as technologies like augmented and virtual reality. The company is actively exploring applications for Student Assistant across its portfolio, including beta tests in its K12 and workforce skills businesses.  

“AI will continue revolutionizing learning and Cengage Group is at the forefront of harnessing this technology to personalize the learning experience,” said Michael Hansen, CEO of Cengage Group. “We remain committed to accelerating our investments in AI to improve student outcomes, scale the instructor experience and ultimately connect education to real-world careers, all while taking a thoughtful approach to how and when we expect returns on those investments. The future of learning depends on our ability to evolve and continuously innovate alongside AI, and we confidently accept this challenge.”  

Learn more about Student Assistant and stay tuned for updates on the fall expansion here: https://www.cengage.com/ai/student-assistant/

About Cengage

Cengage, the higher education business of global education technology company Cengage Group, serves millions of instructors, learners and institutions around the world. We deliver affordable, high-quality digital products and personalized support to power learning individually and at scale. Our customer-centered approach enables innovation, including Cengage Unlimited, the first and only all-access digital subscription for textbooks. Our leading online learning platforms, MindTap and WebAssign, help millions of educators and students achieve their goals. Visit us at www.cengage.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Cengage Group

Cengage Group, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education. Visit us at www.cengagegroup.com or find us on LinkedIn or X.

 

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