Last edition, we covered image generation. This time: learning.

AI went from being a "homework helper" in January to "complete the assignment for you" in December this year.

I tested 15+ learning tools this year. I have a favorite and a clear winner. Let’s talk about it

We put together an AI Survival Hackbook for 2026: a practical guide on how AI changed work between 2019–2025, what will matter next year, and how professionals are quietly using AI for leverage (not hype).

It includes:

It’s free for the next two weeks.

NotebookLM's audio overviews changed how I consume information.

After you upload your sources., two AI hosts turn them into a podcast-style discussion. You can tune in any time.

AND you can actually interrupt and ask a question in real time!

The breakthrough: Multimodal input (PDFs, images, text) → useful audio output.

Runner-up: ChatGPT Voice Mode (real-time conversation, good for quick Q&A)

Every answer comes with citations. Every claim links to a source.

What I love about this is that the academic mode prioritizes peer-reviewed literature over random blog posts. It pulls from 200M+ papers and updates in real-time.

Runner-up: SciSpace

Claude reads entire papers (200K context window), answers questions, asks detailed follow-ups, and guides you through complex concepts.

I have found this to be the best way to gain a deep understanding of any topic very fast.

Rather than have AI spoon-feed you summaries, you take the initiative. Ask questions, it’ll help you figure it out.

Runner-up: NotebookLM (for source-grounded deep dives)

Some usecases I’ve used it for throughout the year:

ChatGPT handles the breadth of non-academic practical skills better than anything else.

One food writer described it as "having a sous chef in the kitchen."

Runner-up: None really. Specialized apps exist but aren't AI-first.

NotebookLM went from "niche Google experiment" to mainstream learning tool.

And one of the many reasons it’s a personal favourite is:

The team is shipping FAST, and they listen to feedback.

Just look at NotebookLM’s Twitter, the way they engage with the community should be a case study.

Features wise: the audio overviews feature launched mid-year and went viral immediately. Students, researchers, and professionals started uploading everything just to hear them explained conversationally.

Google kept adding features: better document analysis, longer context, deep research, slide deck generation, etc.

And now with Gemini 3 and Nano Banana Pro, the output quality is off the charts.

Runner-up: Claude (Sonnet 3.5 → Sonnet 4.5 was a massive quality jump)

The premise: AI will revolutionize education.

The reality: Universities paid millions for tools students were already using for free.

I haven’t seen this initiative pan out the way it promised when it was announced.

California State University spent $17 million on a ChatGPT Edu partnership while cutting $375 million from the budget and laying off faculty.

Studies show that:

The cycle: Students pretend to learn. Professors use AI to grade. Degrees become worthless. Everyone loses except tech companies.

One professor put it perfectly: "If students use AI to complete assignments and faculty use AI to grade them, what is the value of higher education?"

Runner-up: AI detection tools

NotebookLM wins three categories. That tells you everything.

It's the only tool that fundamentally changed how people learn in 2025.

Every answer is grounded in your documents. No hallucinations and made-up citations.

AND IT IS FREE.

2025 exposed the AI learning paradox.

The tools got dramatically better. But adoption went sideways.

Instead of enhancing learning, AI became a shortcut to avoid it entirely.

My hot take: we're solving the wrong problem.

All these AI education tools optimize for learning, not doing.

You can:

The winners today: NotebookLM, Perplexity, and Claude, succeed because they make learning better, not easier.

They force engagement with sources and guide your understanding instead of replacing it.

The biggest lesson of 2025: AI can be an incredible learning tool or a way to fake your way through education.

What excites me about 2026 is the shift from education companies to human capital factories.

Companies that take someone at a 2/10 in their ability to impact the world and get them to a 6/10.

YC does this for founders. MIT does this for engineers.

But these are high-touch, human-driven, and they don't scale. They accept thousands per year when billions need access.

For the first time, AI could change that.

Until next time,
Vaibhav 🤝🏻

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