Voice, AI, and Impact: Better-ed in the Gemma 3n Challenge

• Lightweight:able to run on laptops or even mobile devices without requiring massive cloud infrastructure.
• Accessible:freely available for developers and educators to build upon.
• Responsible:trained with an emphasis on transparency, safety, and ethical use.

For education, this means that advanced AI doesn’t have to stay locked behind expensive servers or fast internet connections. Gemma opens the door tooffline, local AI solutions—something we believe is essential for making learning equal and accessible everywhere.

Our Mission: Why Voice Matters in Education

At better-ed, we believe education should nurture not just what students know, but how they express what they’ve learned. Our mission is rooted in three commitments:

1. Reimagine assessments to be more human.
   By letting students articulate their thoughts, assessments evolve from static exercises into dynamic conversations.
2. Empower teachers with authentic insight.
   Instead of spending hours grading, teachers can access AI-powered dashboards that highlight strengths, gaps, and progress—helping them focus on what matters most: teaching.
3. Build student confidence through voice.
   Every spoken response is an opportunity for learners to practice communication skills, build confidence, and prepare for real-world expression.

Why We Joined the Gemma Challenge

We entered the competition with clear goals:

• Position better-ed globallyalongside other groundbreaking EdTech innovations.
• Build brand awarenessin the education and AI community, especially across Europe where AI adoption in classrooms is accelerating.
• Highlight our growing tractionthrough international accelerators likeMaria 01 in Finlandand theUS-PH AI Summit, as well as our ongoing pilots with schools such asPhilippine Science High School (PSHS)andBarcelona Academy in Bulacan.
• Show that better-ed is more than just a tool—it’s a movement to make learning equal, accessible, and truly heard.
  

Making Learning Equal and Accessible with Offline AI

Here, Gemma ties directly into our mission. Many schools, especially in rural areas, face challenges with connectivity. By leveragingGemma’s lightweight, offline-friendly capabilities, better-ed can provide:

• Voice-based assessments without internet dependency.
• AI-powered insightsthat sync when online but remain usable offline.
• Inclusive learning opportunitiesfor students regardless of location.

This innovation ensures no student is left behind—whether they’re in urban centers or far-flung provinces.

Behind the Scenes: Allan’s Reflections

Our submission video also featured an interview with Allan Tan, PSI’s founder and CEO, where he shared how Gemma 3npowers better-ed’s approach to voice-based learning.

Why Gemma 3n?

The team needed a small, efficient model that could run offline on a phone and support voice. Among the options evaluated, Gemma 3n delivered the best performance, especially when paired with Unsloth for faster response times. This made it possible to provide real-time experiences in classrooms without relying on heavy infrastructure.

How better-ed works from voice to insight

Students answer by speaking, and Gemma handles the transcription and response generation. Since Gemma doesn’t natively perform text-to-speech, the team prerecorded a set of teacher-style responses. The model then selects the most appropriate one, making the interaction feel conversational and natural.

Evaluating real understanding

To avoid shallow answers, the team tested the system against simulated student personalities—from grade A learners to average students, and even those who didn’t study or were just playing around. This ensures better-ed can recognize a wide range of real-life classroom scenarios and give teachers authentic insights into student learning.

This behind-the-scenes view highlights how Allan and the team deliberately designed better-ed not just to process responses, but to reflect the diversity and complexity of real classrooms.

The Bigger Picture

The Gemma 3n Impact Challenge reaffirmed three things for us:

1. Voice is the future of assessment.
2. AI must be inclusive and accessible.
3. Global collaboration accelerates change.

Watch the better-ed Google Gemma 3n Impact Challenge video here.

In the video, you’ll see how voice transforms assessment, Allan’s reflections on our mission, and a preview of Gemma-powered offline capabilities.

What’s Next for better-ed

The challenge was a milestone, but our journey continues. We are scaling pilots, refining offline features, and working closely with educators to shape the future of voice-based learning. Every step brings us closer to a world where education isn’t just tested, but truly heard.

Through theGoogle Gemma 3n Impact Challenge, we showed that better-ed is more than a platform—it’s a movement to reimagine assessments with AI that listens.

At PSI, we remain committed to the principle:Your Data. Your AI. Your Way.

Curious about how better-ed can transform your classroom or institution?Get in touch with PSI today to explore tailored AI solutions that make learning heard.