NW Valley Times

Shyam Bodicherla believes his artificial intelligence grading platform will be a hit with schools and teachers. Finishing second in April’s Canyon Challenge, the entrepreneurial competition at Grand Canyon University (GCU), did not sway Shyam Bodicherla’s confidence that his AI-aided Woof Tech company would change the lives of professors and teachers who spend hours grading homework and tests.

“Just for the record, second or first place doesn’t matter to me,” Bodicherla said. “I still believe in my product. I’m the type of guy who says, ‘If I don’t like it and my company produces it, I will leave my company.’”

“There could be a marriage between GCU and Bodicherla,” who graduated from the university with a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship/entrepreneurial studies. GCU has selected 10 professors to use Acadex Mini, Woof Tech’s platform, which grades student papers at an exceptionally fast rate and enables educators to devote more time to assisting students.

And if this succeeds, “then we can just plug it into Halo (Learn) for teachers,” Bodicheria said of the proprietary learning management system used by GCU.

Shyam Bodicherla got the idea for his Acadex company in Paul Waterman's certificate course when Waterman asked him if he could put prompts into chatboxes that would help him assign test grades.

Bodicherla already has his group of supporters. GCU adjunct professor Tim Blake is a customer, and Bodicherla said the Deer Valley Unified School District is “super excited” to use it.

“I’m not too concerned if a school isn’t interested,” Bodicherla said. “At the end of the day, AI is here to stay. And whether schools want to use it or not, it’s up to them.”

“But you have to be on the train. You have to jump in. If you’re being left behind, your school won’t make it. You have to be ahead of the curve. And I’m 90% confident that GCU will use this product.”

Canyon Ventures Founding Director Robert Vera recommended Bodicherla for the Hong Kong University Science and Technology Entrepreneurship and Hult Prize competitions, which will distribute up to $2 million in prizes.

The prize money is more than the $1,500 award Bodicherla received for his second-place finish at Canyon Challenge. He impressed a Canyon Challenge audience with a video display that showed 20 papers graded in less than 40 seconds with a 2.5% to 5% margin for error.

"AI is transforming how we work, learn and communicate,” Vera said. Organizations are exploring ways to integrate AI to enhance operational efficiencies and service delivery.

“When deployed in schools and universities," Vera continued "the Acadex AI grading tool can alleviate the administrative burden of paper grading for teachers allowing them to devote more time educating mentoring students."

With AI at the forefront of technology, Bodicherla believes such a time-saving product's potential impact could be significant.

“(Vera) kept talking about referring back to the iPhone,” Bodicherla said. “The iPhone back then was a piece of technology nobody knew they needed yet Apple still created it."

“Today you can’t live without a smartphone generally." He believes this is one of those products that even if teachers don’t know they’re missing out on when it comes in they can’t live without it.”

Bodicherla continues making modifications since Canyon Challenge constantly trying improving app.

“Time is precious," said mindful many instructors lament number hours devoted grading.

It takes two minutes or less set up Woof Tech account Acadex Mini offers limited free account new users available forever no trial period demo constraints.

More enticing professors teachers drop files system papers graded less than ten seconds accuracy programmed grade essays multiple-choice quizzes

Tim Blake teaches Colangelo College Business uses Shyam Acadex AI app grading papers (Photo Ralph Freso) "You see all happening real-time lot savings," really easy far better competitors putting currently three years ahead what putting out"

Plan originated discussion last fall professor Paul Waterman ran course students earn Disciplined Agile Scrum Master certificate allows become project managers

Shared looking delve big project told ChatGPT another chatbot Gemini market asked put prompts help assign grades essays other tests

“What took competitors three years accomplish took us three months" became project management aspect able delegate tasks efficiently

Acedex showcased recent upgrades included DOCX encompasses every file type used every school along Amazon Web Services integration fortifies security prevents website crashing

Plans unveil Acedex Mini 2-0 fall feature advanced detection method improve capabilities

“Constant improvement friend”

GCU News Senior Writer Mark Gonzales reached [email protected]