With agentic AI, edtech publishers can meet their retention goals

Edtech publishers struggle with retaining students over time. AI agents can help them develop the learning experiences that turn learners into lifelong learners.

Having successfully digitized their textbooks and platforms, edtech publishers now face a new challenge: retaining users over time. Traditionally, publishers’ customers have been the employers or schools that contract for their services. As a result, their connection with the people using their products and services ends once learners leave those environments.

For publishers, retaining individual learners is the next frontier. The key to driving deeper engagement and encouraging brand loyalty by utilizing dynamic learning experiences that let students learn on their own terms and feel motivated to pursue further goals, all while having one place to call their educational “home.”

Agentic AI is poised to support customer retention efforts. Intelligent agents have the potential to transform educational platforms from static content libraries into dynamic, personalized learning experiences in real time. In a market where new entrants are already delivering tailored, AI-driven subscription services, the move to dynamic learning is becoming a competitive necessity.

How edtech publishers can use agentic AI to boost student retention

Here are three ways edtech publishers can prepare to retain learners over time with the help of agentic AI.

1.    Master modular content

Modular content enables publishers to convert static learning materials into flexible components that can be mixed and matched to create new forms. It’s the foundation for dynamic experiences. Yet the process today is cumbersome and error prone. Tagging the content with keywords and labels is often done manually. Additionally, the metadata contained in the tags is not always rich enough to convey the content’s attributes, such as difficulty levels, content type and learning objectives.

AI agents, on the other hand, enable tagging at volume. In addition to automating the process, they can apply more descriptive and accurate metadata about the content’s subject matter, format type, duration and type of learning experience (i.e., self-paced, video, etc.). With the additional context that AI agents can provide, it’s easier for publishers to reassemble and cross-link content.

For example, an AI agent might break a chemistry textbook into smaller sections and enhance each section with visuals from open-source libraries. It might also create a custom unit on molecular interactions for an advanced learner or add information from external sources such as academic research.

Text is only the starting point when it comes to modularity. Agents can transform core content into multimedia, adaptive and even conversational formats. An agent could take the same chemistry textbook and repurpose it into a video or podcast. It could also make the learning program more accessible, such as by enabling a visually impaired student to choose audio-based learning over text materials.

2.    Deliver truly personalized learning paths

Microlearning is no longer a trend—it’s the new normal. Today’s learners favor bite-sized experiences tailored to their interests, learning styles and schedules.

For example, instead of dedicating a single chunk of time to learning a difficult topic, a college student might prefer to study the material for 20 minutes every day. Or, rather than read a book or watch a YouTube video, an employee who wants to learn how to be a better negotiator might request a four-week custom curriculum on the topic.

With agentic AI, edtech publishers can enable these types of personalization by:

• Orchestrating cohesive learning journeys: Assembling custom curricula by combining static and dynamic content—often sourced or enriched from multiple repositories.
• Adapting to user needs in real time: Analyzing engagement patterns and sentiment and then tailoring delivery modes. For instance, the system could offer flashcards to tactile learners, infographics to visual thinkers or more interactive experiences such as quizzes for users struggling with comprehension.

This level of personalization deepens learner engagement and creates a distinctive user experience that encourages students to continue with their learning journey.

3.    Reimagine the learner relationship

AI agents can play a big role in enabling edtech publishers to rethink their relationships with learners, moving from a hands-off, one-way engagement to a more direct, enduring connection.

Edtech publishers willing to think outside the box will find a wealth of opportunities to empower learners:

• Equip learners to own their progress: Agents can generate persistent, portable learning records by keeping track of skills developed, certificates earned and achievements gained, regardless of where the learning occurs. That’s a major benefit for learners because it offers them an educational hub to record their learning journey while also encouraging them to keep looking for areas of advancement.

• Help learners visualize their growth over time: Seeing is believing. Imagine a dynamic knowledge graph that maps an individual's competencies across domains—ranging from a cutting-edge certification to a newly developed soft skill like public speaking. These types of visualizations could automatically update as goals evolve, offering students a clear view of their learning trajectory and progress. Visual tools are largely missing from today’s online learning experiences but could help motivate learners and support them in additional pursuits.

Using agentic AI to create a lifelong learning experience

For edtech publishers looking to retain learners over the long term, agentic AI is a necessary strategic lever. It enables the transition from static content to intelligent, adaptive systems that drive retention and deepen engagement.

The future of edtech belongs to publishers who embrace the capabilities of agentic AI, with an aim to keep learners interested and engaged, far beyond the first lesson.