Unlike traditional software that optimizes for time-in-app, the most successful AI products will be measured by their ability to save users time. The new benchmark for value will be how much cognitive load or manual work is automated "behind the scenes," fundamentally changing the definition of a successful product.

Measuring schools by absolute test scores rewards those that simply select the best students. Measuring by growth rate—the slope of the learning curve—reveals which schools are actually effective at developing students, regardless of their starting point.

Alpha School's learning platform utilizes mastery-based learning. Students take AI-driven quizzes and must achieve an 80% score to be considered proficient and move on, ensuring comprehension and filling knowledge gaps before they become problematic.

Metrics for adult learners prioritize momentum and human outcomes over simple completion. Success is tracked through leading indicators like skills acquisition via digital badges, career alignment surveys, and the student's growing confidence in their abilities.

Instead of imposing metrics, allow stakeholders (like students) to design their own evaluation systems. The process is often more valuable than the final system itself, as it forces critical thinking about purpose, values, and systems dynamics, leading to greater engagement, buy-in, and learning.

AI accelerates learning for motivated students but enables disengaged ones to avoid it entirely. This dichotomy makes fostering genuine student engagement the single most critical challenge for educators today, as it is the linchpin determining whether AI is a revolutionary tool or a disastrous crutch.

The most powerful selling point for an EdTech platform to school districts is not just student test prep. It's the aggregated data that provides administrators with a diagnostic tool, revealing underlying misconceptions and systemic gaps in their curriculum that need to be addressed.

Brilliant, an AI tutoring company, measures success by its ability to make itself unnecessary. The goal is to scaffold a learner until they become self-sufficient, a philosophy akin to dating apps where successful churn is a feature. This contrasts sharply with platforms designed for maximum continuous engagement.

Oboe's user data shows that over two-thirds of learners arrive with a clear, objective-based goal, such as upskilling for a job or passing a test. This contradicts the idea that AI learning is for casual exploration and highlights the need for goal-oriented product design to solve a user's specific problem.