This sounded cool until, "Now Goel is forming a business to bring the chatbot to the wider world of education.” // are all educators just trying to create companies these days?
In my honest opinion, innovating in the Educational sphere and showing value to one or more groups - educators, students, administrative tasks - should really be rewarded fiscally. An institution won't really do that, except in the long-term by way of job stability and benefits (all subject to modern fiscal pressures). So, while it might seem the case, I think this avenue is perfectly reasonable.
Now, educators who write texts in concert with publishers and then somehow coerse students into buying brand new copies every semester, that's what I'd call profiteering. Not so highly esteemed to me. But, as noted, the profession is a tradeoff a lot of times.
The world of education could use some real technological disruption. Giving students iPads and smartboards doesn't cut it if they're just doing the same things on a new platform.
Education could use such an overhaul to be honest. Look at internet resources like Khan Academy and how they're proving the merits of mass-distributing a well-functioning formula for teaching.
As far as this bot is concerned it seems to do one thing very well: Reducing the costs of offering a teaching method for those who require "human interaction" to learn optimally (spoonfeeding if you want).
Now, educators who write texts in concert with publishers and then somehow coerse students into buying brand new copies every semester, that's what I'd call profiteering. Not so highly esteemed to me. But, as noted, the profession is a tradeoff a lot of times.