At ASU Next Lab, a team of student innovators is reimagining how AI can reach every learner — even in places without internet or electricity.
The project, called EDge AI, explores how AI models can run locally on low-cost, low-power devices, making intelligent learning tools accessible anywhere in the world.
The name “EDge AI” reflects both a technical and ethical commitment: developing education at the edge — where access to technology, especially AI, remains limited.
From the Lab to the World
Student changemakers Ananya Kodali, Hrushikesh Milind Pandit, Hithesh Rai Purushothama, and Sahil Garg are developing AI prototypes that work offline, expanding access to learning resources for remote and underserved communities.
“We’re designing systems that make AI portable — not dependent on connectivity or privilege,” said one of the student developers. “It’s about giving every learner, everywhere, the same opportunity to grow.”
These student-led projects connect directly to Next Lab’s broader mission: advancing technologies that make learning more equitable, adaptive, and sustainable.
A Future Beyond Connectivity
Through EDge AI, the Next Lab team is testing how open-source models like Meta Llama LLM can be deployed on local devices to deliver intelligent tutoring, translation, and adaptive content — all without the cloud.
This work challenges a key assumption in digital education: that innovation requires high-speed networks and constant connection. Instead, it asks how we can design AI ecosystems that thrive in the world as it is, not only in the world as it’s wired to be.
Learn More
Read the full story in The AI Journey at ASU (Spring 2025 Edition)
Explore the EDge AI initiative and student projects here: https://tech.asu.edu/students-next-lab-work-bring-ai-all
