'Akahon AI' Launched to Support Self-Study for Entrance Exam Essays
Sekaishiso-Kyougakusha has released 'Akahon AI,' a new workbook series where AI evaluates and provides feedback on essays. By photographing their written answers with a smartphone, students can have them diagnosed by an AI, enabling self-study. The product is also expected to reduce the grading burden on teachers.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 7, 2026 at 20:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 7, 2026 at 11:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 22:39 (323h 9m after Collected)
Kyoto, Japan - Sekaishiso-Kyougakusha Co., Ltd. (HQ: Kyoto, CEO: Toshiaki Uehara), publisher of the 'Daigaku Akahon Series' (commonly known as 'Akahon'), a collection of past university entrance examination questions, launched the 'Akahon AI Series,' a workbook equipped with an AI advice function, in bookstores and online stores nationwide on April 6, 2026.
Essay Countermeasures Previously Difficult for Output-Based Learning
Unlike other subjects, essays do not have a single correct answer. Therefore, even when students wrote a response, it was difficult for them to self-assess whether it was a passing-grade essay. As a result, most study guides were input-oriented, focusing on how to write essays and explaining themes, making it difficult to engage in 'problem-solving' or output-based learning.
Enabling Self-Study for Essays
With 'Akahon AI,' by photographing a handwritten essay with a smartphone or tablet, students can receive evaluations from four different perspectives and a 10-point overall rating. The AI provides concrete feedback on what was done well and what should be improved. By repeatedly improving and producing output, students can steadily develop their essay-writing skills.
Reducing the Burden of Grading and Guidance in Schools
Previously, the only way to get such feedback was to ask a teacher at school or a cram school for corrections. However, few teachers are capable of providing guidance for university entrance exam essays, and even when they are, grading long essays is time-consuming, placing a heavy burden on the school system. While teachers recognized the importance of output-based learning, they were in a situation where they could not easily recommend it to students due to the grading burden. Schools have expressed hope that 'Akahon AI' will solve these issues.
Reflecting Feedback from Students and Schools Obtained Through Pilot Experiments
Prior to commercialization, a pilot experiment was conducted from November 2025 with the cooperation of five high schools, targeting second-year high school students. Students actually experienced 'Akahon AI,' and their opinions and impressions were used to improve the AI's accuracy and usability. For the students, it also became a valuable experience to participate in a company's product development.
Comments from Pilot Experiment Participants
- 'It was great to know how my essay was evaluated and how I could make it better.' (2nd-year high school student)
- 'This seems like a lifesaver for students taking exams with essays.' (Teacher)
- 'It was fun. I thought it was easy to use and good.' (2nd-year high school student)
- 'I found it convenient for home study.' (2nd-year high school student)
Jointly Developed AI Specializing in Entrance Exam Essays with Mingaku Inc.
'Akahon AI' is based on Mingaku Inc.'s 'School AI,' a generative AI platform specialized for education.