by BrainStream Chief Executive Officer Steven Craig Alcorn We Build AI Tools — And We Use Them Too At BrainStream, we’re developing AI-powered solutions for education. But we don’t just build AI products — we rely on AI tools every day to run our business. From drafting content and managing communications to analyzing data and…
by BrainStream Chief Marketing Officer Ya-Hui (Laura) Kao As generative AI technology advances rapidly, Canadian higher education institutions are exploring ways to effectively integrate AI tools into teaching and administrative workflows. Leading universities, including McGill University, University of Toronto, and York University, have incorporated AI for tasks such as course content summarization, curriculum planning, drafting documents,…
by BrainStream CEO Steve Alcorn BrainStream is an AI-powered learning platform designed to tutor students directly from their assigned course materials rather than from generalized training data. It ingests textbooks, lecture notes, and instructor-created content, then builds a structured, traceable knowledge base that supports tutoring, assessment, progress tracking, and feedback for students, teachers, and parents….
by Chief Financial Officer Chia-Hua (Phyllis) Chen As the CFO of an AI learning startup, I spend a lot of time analyzing where the EdTech market is heading. Recently, a fascinating narrative has emerged from campuses across the country: to “AI-proof” their courses, professors are turning to the oldest technology available—the oral exam. According to…
by Chief Operating Officer Tzu-Ying (Kimberley) Chen A few weeks ago, a CityNews story caught my attention. It described how many Canadian students feel that AI is making it harder for them to think on their own. I imagined a classroom I once visited, with students quietly typing, screens glowing, answers appearing instantly. Their speed impressed…
by BrainStream Chief Marketing Officer Ya-Hui (Laura) Kao In today’s AI-driven education landscape, students have unprecedented access to learning resources. Yet the real challenge is no longer a lack of content—it’s direction. Even with abundant materials, many students feel lost, unsure where to start, and unclear about their progress. What students truly need is to…
by BrainStream Chief User Experience Officer Yung-Wen Cheng As apps evolve toward more inclusive UI/UX design, it’s important to recognize that accessibility extends beyond visual and motor considerations. A large number of students benefit from sensory-friendly design, which ensures that the app feels comfortable, predictable, and non-overwhelming. This approach supports not only users with sensory…
by Chief Financial Officer Chia-Hua (Phyllis) Chen There’s no denying it — AI tools like ChatGPT have completely changed the way we learn. They’re fast, convenient, and surprisingly good at helping us explain concepts or clear up confusion within seconds. But the more I work with AI, the more I’m reminded of something important: AI can support learning,…
by BrainStream Chief User Experience Officer Yung-Wen Cheng As BrainStream increasingly adopts mobile-first and accessibility-centered design principles, color inclusivity has become a critical extension of this conversation. While earlier discussions may focus on color theory for engagement and emotional impact, it is equally important to recognize how color perception varies across users—and how these differences…
by BrainStream Chief User Experience Officer Yung-Wen Cheng Following the growing emphasis on mobile-first design, another equally vital aspect of BrainStream’s development is accessibility. While mobile optimization ensures that BrainStream is convenient and portable, accessibility ensures that it is usable and inclusive for all students—regardless of physical, cognitive, or technological differences. A truly effective app…
