Alexa in the Classroom? Amazon’s Voice Assistant Leads Kids’ Story Time

Bamboo Learning, co-founded by an Amazon alumnus, wants to be a leader in ‘voice-powered education.’ Some educators are skeptical.

Kids use Bamboo Learning software to practice reading during focus group in Brooklyn on May 4.

Photographer: Cate Dingley/Bloomberg
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The group of kids, aged 7 to 12, sat around a table, trying to follow along with the reading assignment. It was after lunch. Energy was high, attention spans short.

Nobody held books, though. And a teacher wasn’t reading.