Chinese-developed education apps powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI) are gaining traction in the US market as their developers seek international growth opportunities amid fierce competition at home. Leading this charge are Question.AI by Zuoyebang and ByteDance’s Gauth, which have both been ranked among the top three free educational apps on Apple’s iOS store and Google Play from February to May, according to AppMagic. This success contrasts with the crowded Chinese market, where over 200 large language models have been developed, and half have been approved for public release as of March.
These AI-driven apps offer functionality that allows students to take photos of their homework problems, which the apps then solve while providing detailed, step-by-step explanations. Despite their popularity, these apps face monetization challenges, as neither Gauth nor Question.AI made it into the top 10 grossing apps over the last four months. Unlike TikTok, which faces scrutiny and potential bans in the US, these educational apps have largely escaped such issues but still need to navigate the complex landscape of the US market.
