Transforming early childhood education with Appu, the GenAI-powered learning companion

At Google, we have long believed in the power of technology to expand access to education and create new learning opportunities. To ensure that every child, regardless of their background, benefits from these innovations, Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, is dedicated to helping social impact organisations realise the AI opportunity in education and skilling.

In 2023, Google.org awarded a $1.5 million grant to Rocket Learning to support its mission of transforming Early Childhood Development (ECD). Building on this commitment, in 2024, Google.org announced a Fellowship, bringing together a team of Googlers to collaborate with Rocket Learning to develop Appu, a GenAI-powered tutor designed to personalize learning for children aged 3-6 across India.

With six months of pro bono collaboration from Google.org Fellows, Appu was built specifically for early childhood education. Easily accessible across devices, Appu focuses on essential school readiness skills, including pre-literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning.

Some excerpts from a conversation with Vishal Sunil, CTO of Rocket Learning:

India faces a significant challenge in early childhood education, with millions needing quality preschool. Can you talk more about this challenge and how Appu can be a game-changer?

India has a huge early education gap—millions of children, especially in underserved communities, miss out on quality preschool. The first five years are critical, with 85% of brain development happening in this period, yet so many kids start school already behind. Without the right early learning experiences, catching up later is tough, and the gap just keeps widening.

Traditional approaches alone can’t scale fast enough, but Generative AI allows for personalized, engaging learning at scale. Instead of rigid, one-size-fits-all methods, AI can adapt to each child’s pace, making learning more interactive and accessible—even in the most remote areas. That’s exactly why we built Appu.

Powered by GenAI technology, Appu is a personalized voice tutor that helps children learn through conversation, storytelling, and play—the way they naturally do. It runs on basic smartphones, meaning millions of children who wouldn’t otherwise have access to early education can now learn in a fun and engaging way.

Addressing these gaps early on is not just a moral imperative, but also an economically smart move, as the long-term costs of neglecting early education are far higher. Studies show that incremental participation in Early Childhood Education directly impacts IQ scores, improving long-term academic performance and social mobility.

If we can scale this right, we’re not just closing the education gap, we’re changing the future of learning for millions of children.

Appu leverages advanced Large Language Models (LLMs). Imagine a child interacting with Appu. What's a real-life example of how AI personalizes their learning journey and adapts to their individual needs?

Children don’t learn in a straight line—their journeys are non-linear, shaped by curiosity and play. That’s why Appu adapts dynamically, making learning feel natural.

Take Aarav, a 4-year-old learning numbers. When he says, "One, two, three..." Appu listens, recognises his progress, and nudges him forward. If he hesitates, Appu doesn’t just correct him—it adapts, offering a playful hint: “What comes after three? Think of the legs on a chair!” If Aarav prefers stories, Appu weaves numbers into a jungle adventure instead.

Powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), Appu:

• Recognises speech and tailors responses.
• Adapts difficulty with hints, praise, or challenges.
• Supports different learning styles through stories, play, and conversation.

Unlike passive screen-based learning, Appu is a voice-first experience, where children talk, explore, and learn—without staring at a screen. And when a caregiver joins in, it becomes a shared, meaningful journey that builds confidence and curiosity.

What was a moment during Appu's development where you thought, 'We didn't see that coming,' and how did you navigate it?

One moment that really caught us off guard was latency—we didn’t anticipate how even a tiny delay in Appu’s response could throw off a child’s learning flow. Kids interact instinctively, and if Appu took too long to reply, they’d lose interest or start talking over it. It was a real challenge to make the experience feel natural.

Thankfully, Google.org Fellows jumped in, providing pro bono technical support including cloud expertise to fine-tune the system. They helped us optimise load times, UI/UX, and response generation, making Appu feel more like a real conversation partner. Another big surprise was translations—kids don’t stick to one language, and early on, Appu struggled when they mixed languages mid-sentence. The Fellows helped simplify the format and refine the LLM’s multi-modal capabilities, improving how Appu processed speech and adapted its responses.

There are plenty of “we didn’t see that coming” moments, but each one is making Appu better. It is a constant back-and-forth—testing, tweaking, and learning as we go. Watching it evolve into something that truly understands and adapts to each child’s learning journey is making all these challenges worth it.

Beyond the tech, what's the human story of Appu? Can you share a story of how you think Appu would make a difference in a child's life or a family's routine?

Appu is proving that early learning can be accessible, engaging, and effective—even in homes without formal preschool education.

Parents in rural areas tell us that before Appu, structured learning wasn’t part of their child’s daily routine. Now, they see their kids actively engaging, speaking more confidently, and picking up new words in their mother tongue. One parent shared that their child, who was previously shy, now initiates conversations—something they didn’t expect from just 15 minutes a day with an AI tutor.

A major concern we addressed early on was screen time. We didn’t want Appu to be another app that keeps kids glued to a screen. That’s why Appu is voice-first, delivering one structured, interactive session per day, ensuring kids engage meaningfully without overexposure. This balance has been a key factor in parent adoption.

From feedback calls, we’ve also learned that Appu’s vernacular support is critical. Parents appreciate that their children learn in a language they actually use at home, unlike many existing resources that default to English. That’s something we’re doubling down on—ensuring better translations, nuanced speech recognition, and cultural relevance. Appu currently supports Hindi, and we plan to expand to 20 other languages, including Marathi and Punjabi.

Appu isn’t just helping kids learn, it’s integrating learning into everyday family life. And that’s what will make it sustainable in the long run. Appu is being piloted by thousands of children in India and is expected to reach 50 million families by 2030, including government-run Anganwadi centers and pre-schools nationwide.

If you had the attention of every educator in India for just one minute, what's the single most important thing you'd want them to know about AI's power to transform education?

The future of learning is changing fast. It’s no longer about one-size-fits-all lessons—it’s personal, dynamic, and shaped around how each child naturally learns. AI isn’t here to replace educators; it’s here to amplify their impact, making learning more engaging, accessible, and tailored to every child’s needs.

Think beyond traditional screens and textbooks. They explore, ask questions, make mistakes, and find their own way. AI can meet them where they are, adapt to their pace, and support them in their own language, something our education system has struggled to do at scale.

For educators, this means less time on repetitive instruction and more time fostering creativity, curiosity, and human connection. AI can help with instant feedback, multimodal learning, and personalised support, but the heart of education will always be the educator.

This is about giving children the tools to take charge of their learning while making sure educators have the support they deserve. AI in education isn’t some distant future. It’s here, and if we design it thoughtfully, we can close learning gaps and change millions of lives.

Last, very curious to know, what's the story behind the name – Appu? How does it connect with the children you're trying to reach?

When we first introduced Appu to children, we weren’t sure how they’d react. But the moment they heard the name, their faces lit up. “Appu!” they giggled, as if greeting an old friend. That’s when we knew—we’d found the right fit.

Elephants hold a special place in Indian culture. They’re seen as gentle, wise, and friendly, qualities we wanted in a learning companion. “Appu” is a term of endearment, a name parents use with love. For many, it already carried warmth and familiarity.

We didn’t want a name that felt foreign or forced. We wanted something that felt like home—something children would instantly trust and embrace. And it worked. Appu wasn’t just another AI tool; it is a friend, a guide, a playful presence in their learning journey. That emotional connection made all the difference.