“In 2026, I expect AI tutors to evolve into fully capable multimodal learning companions” – Boye Oshinaga

Prediction

By 2026, I expect AI tutors to evolve into fully capable multimodal learning companions. These systems will teach using voice, video, animations and text in a way that is engaging enough for children as young as four and powerful enough to support adults learning new workplace skills.

In primary and secondary schools, this will make flipped learning much more explored in schools. Kids will learn core concepts at home with AI, and class time will be spent asking questions, solving problems and doing hands-on work with teachers. In vocation and the workplace, AI platforms will guide workers and upskill them faster.

At the university and tertiary institutions, AI-mediated oral assessments will be used to combat the surge in AI’s use for assignments and test cheating. Students will increasingly be required to explain their thinking aloud or in a live setting to show mastery.

Supporting Evidence

Multimodal AI is progressing faster than expected. GPT-4o and successors already understand speech, text and images in one model and are improving quarterly.

Edtech demand is exploding. The World Bank estimates that 70% of 10-year-olds in low and middle-income countries are in poverty, meaning they cannot read a simple text. Governments and development will need AI to scale learning interventions to close gaps faster than conventional methods. 

Universities are struggling with academic integrity. US, UK and Australian institutions have reported double-digit increases in AI-assisted submissions since 2023 and are already experimenting with oral defences, viva-style questioning and portfolio reviews.

Workforce retraining is becoming urgent. The World Economic Forum estimates that 44% of workers will need reskilling within five years. AI-driven coaching and upskilling tools are becoming a necessity.

Risk Factors

The biggest barrier will be institutional adoption. Education systems and employers might move more slowly than the tech curve due to policy bottlenecks, curriculum inertia or fear of replacing traditional approaches.

Another risk is access and infrastructure. If data costs, device availability or school connectivity do not improve, the benefits may concentrate among high-income learners and leave millions behind.

But if governments, telcos and innovators work together, this shift is still very likely to happen.

Who is Boye Oshinaga?

Boye Oshinaga is a Nigerian entrepreneur and two-time founder with experience building fintech and education technology businesses. He first founded Riby Finance, a platform focused on helping low-income workers save and access credit, which scaled to over three million users and reached $1 million in revenue.

He later founded Gradely, an edtech company using AI to personalise learning for primary and secondary school students across Africa and the diaspora. Gradely raised $700,000 in pre-seed funding and has served more than 200,000 families.

Beyond founding companies, Oshinaga has held leadership and investment roles across Africa’s startup ecosystem. He was the first Venture Partner at Founders Factory Africa (now 54Collective), the $100 million venture studio and fund, and previously served as Vice President for the edtech division at Venture Garden Group, where he helped launch Nigeria’s first accredited online MBA programme, which generated $1 million in revenue from its inaugural cohort.