Einstein AI pulled after uproar over automated student work
Mar 17th 2026
Companion's 'Einstein' promised to automate coursework via LMS access, was removed after swift condemnation and a cease-and-desist, and has intensified debates over how AI should be used in education.
- Companion released Einstein saying it could access students' LMS accounts to watch lectures, read materials, join discussions, complete quizzes and submit homework.
- CEO Advait Paliwal told CNET Einstein "makes ChatGPT look like a toy" and later said he would refocus on broader Companion AI after the backlash.
- By 26 February the tool was taken offline following a cease-and-desist and earlier website claims were toned down.
- Educators warned the app could undermine conventional assessment and force instructors to redesign courses or move away from heavily digitized teaching.
- Many academics acknowledge legitimate AI uses for tasks like coding and translation and advocate updating curricula and collaborative teaching to discourage misuse.
Articles
- ‘Einstein‘ bot sharpens debate over AI in the classroom www.nature.com
- As AI keeps improving, mathematicians struggle to foretell their own future www.scientificamerican.com
- Mathematics is undergoing the biggest change in its history www.newscientist.com