Imagine a messaging platform where students can engage with integrated AI while learning together. That’s precisely what YoChatGPT! offers. Developed by Dr Fridolin Ting Sze-thou and his team, this innovative tool is reshaping the way learners interact with artificial intelligence.
The power of collaborative learning
Generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Poe and Co-Pilot have immense potential to support learners. With a simple prompt, these tools can explain mathematical solutions, generate revision materials, and even create mock exams. Yet, AI is no panacea. When ChatGPT launched in 2022, Dr Ting identified a key limitation in its classroom application: “The experience lacked collaboration. Students couldn’t see each other’s prompts or responses,” he explains.
Dr Ting firmly believes is far more effective than solitary study. “Some of the most impactful projects I’ve worked on required teamwork. Collaborative learning allows us to tackle challenges more effectively,” he says. Group discussions often lead to more creative and diverse solutions than those produced in isolation.
To address this gap, Dr Ting and his team created YoChatGPT!, a platform where students and educators can interact with AI in a shared space. Functionally, YoChatGPT! resembles group chats on platforms like WeChat or WhatsApp, but with a powerful twist: integrated AI. Participants pose questions, and everyone can view the AI’s responses, encouraging both individual inquiry and collective learning.
Transformative benefits
YoChatGPT! enables users, be they students, teachers or professionals, to co-prompt, co-learn and co-solve problems. This true collaboration transforms AI from a solitary tool into a collaborative partner in the learning process.
One standout feature is the ‘Prompt Library’, where a teacher can pre-load template prompts into a collaborative room to implement and scaffold virtually any collaborative, active learning strategy (from design thinking to inquiry-based learning) including the Personalised Concept Prompt, which links academic concepts to students’ personal interests. “For example, a student who loves basketball but struggles with physics might ask, ‘Please help me understand vectors by relating it to basketball.’ Suddenly, the abstract becomes relatable and easier to picture,” Dr Ting explains.
The platform’s development reflects a strong team ethos. Dr Ting leads a multidisciplinary group focused on research, development, management and marketing. “Some team members contribute across multiple areas, showcasing our commitment to collaboration,” he notes.
Global reach and recognition
As of writing, YoChatGPT! boasts over 22,000 active users across more than 120 countries, making a notable impact in education. “We truly feel that YoChatGPT! is bringing about change in the world, and this is just the beginning,” says Dr Ting. While education is the foundation, the platform is planning to expand into fields such as law, medicine and marketing. To support these high-stakes sectors, the team will be developing enterprise-grade, on-premises solutions to safeguard data.
YoChatGPT! has earned numerous accolades, including:
- Silver Medal, Best Use of Generative AI category, QS Reimagine Education Awards and Conference 2025
- Silver Medal and Special Award at the 10th International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada
- Silver Medal at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025
- Top 30 finalist for the T4 Education Global Tech Prize
Dr Ting has been invited to present YoChatGPT! at prestigious education conferences, including Apple’s The Future of Learning Conference, EdUTech Asia in Singapore, and the QS Reimagine Education Conference in London. “Honours and opportunities provide a global platform to showcase the uniqueness, innovation, and impact of our solution, while also opening doors for further collaboration,” he says.
Looking ahead
In 2024, Dr Ting founded SustainED Ltd. under the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Research at EdUHK, to bridge academic research and industry. He envisions a future where humans and AI work hand-in-hand. “Our goal is to foster strategic partnerships with educational institutions and enterprises worldwide, helping them harness generative AI in collaborative and productive ways,” he explains.
As Dr Ting continues to pioneer AI-enhanced education, his commitment to collaborative learning remains unwavering. “To quote Albert Einstein, ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.’ If something isn’t working, it’s time to try a new approach. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box,” he says.
YoChatGPT! embodies this philosophy, as it paves the way for a future where AI and human ingenuity thrive together.
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