In this episode of Asia Tech Lens: Founder Stories, we sit down with Neo Zhizhong, Co-Founder and CEO of Geniebook — a Singapore-based edtech company using human + AI to personalize how children learn at scale.
Geniebook didn’t start as a tech platform. It began as a small tuition centre, teaching students face-to-face. But Neo and his team noticed a pattern: every student learned differently, and every parent needed reassurance that progress was real. Personalisation mattered — but teachers were stretched.
Instead of opening more centres, Neo took a leap early: build AI that could adapt to each student, question by question.
Today, Geniebook serves 200,000 students across Singapore and Southeast Asia. And Neo believes the future of education isn’t AI replacing teachers — it’s AI giving teachers superpowers.
Hosted by Miro Lu, this conversation explores what it takes to build trust in education — where 93% accuracy isn’t good enough, results shape identity, and parents demand evidence, not promises.
💡What You’ll Hear About
Choosing AI over blockchain — and how early conviction defined Geniebook’s roadmap.
Human + AI teaching — why AI handles pace, but teachers handle meaning.
The trust threshold — why parents require 98–99% accuracy, not “close enough.”
The midnight question — when to give a student the answer, and when to guide instead.
Tiger moms and learning cultures — why Singapore and Vietnam shaped Geniebook’s approach.
The 2023–2024 reset — restructuring for sustainability, not hype.
Scaling across Southeast Asia — adapting curriculum and expectations country-by-country.
Leadership and discipline — turning down investor money to stay mission-aligned.
⏱️ In This Episode
00:00 – 93% isn’t enough
00:20 – High-stakes exams and Geniebook’s origin
01:24 – Why AI, not blockchain
02:45 – What is AI education?
04:10 – Human + AI teachers: GenieASK and personalized hints
06:40 – Accuracy, feedback loops & trusting AI
07:47 – Convincing parents
08:01 – When to give the answer vs when to teach
10:29 – Measuring learning outcomes
11:47 – Building long-term trust
14:46 – Turning physical into digital
15:17 – From centres to platform
17:10 – Will AI replace teachers?
18:17 – The humans behind the AI
19:12 – Expanding into the global market
21:12 – Tiger moms & learning cultures
27:36 – Inequality and access to AI tools
31:10 – “Study companion,” not tutor
33:04 – Leadership style & values
39:32 – Biggest regret
41:29 – Advice to younger self
43:48 – What’s next for Geniebook
📚 References
Geniebook – Personalized AI learning platform
https://www.geniebook.com
Neo Zhizhong (Neo) on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zzneo/
PSLE (Singapore National Exam)
https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/psle/main.html
Singapore Education
https://www.moe.gov.sg/education-in-sg/educationsystem
Cambridge International Curriculum
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/
IB Programme (International Baccalaureate)
https://www.ibo.org/
GPT / ChatGPT
https://openai.com/chatgpt
Vietnam Ministry of Education & Training
https://en.moet.gov.vn/
Asia Tech Lens Newsletter
https://www.asiatechlens.com
Perspective Media
https://perspectivemedia.asia
🎙️ About Asia Tech Lens
Produced by Perspective Media (Singapore), Asia Tech Lens explores the technology, trends, and people shaping Asia’s innovation landscape — and its global impact.
For enquiries about:
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