Humanizing the world, one AI-powered lesson at a time
To empower humans using AI—not to stop hiring them” was how Kang So-young, founder and CEO of Gnowbe AI, explained the vision behind her artificial intelligence (AI)-powered microlearning app designed for professionals in training and development.
“We stumbled upon each other because of our love for learning,” said Anthony Pangilinan, chair of BusinessWorks Inc., recalling his first meeting with Kang. Their shared passion for growth and leadership sparked a partnership that now brings Gnowbe AI to the Philippines through Pangilinan’s company.
As Kang put it, “Too much knowledge is in our heads. Real learning happens when you participate, think for yourself, and apply what you’ve learned to your life.”
Gnowbe AI grew out of Kang’s desire to scale the kind of transformational experiences she and Pangilinan had been delivering in-person for years through her consultancy Awaken Group.
“We thought, ‘What if we could digitize Anthony’s wisdom and make it accessible—even to someone in a small village in Davao?’” she told Lifestyle during the app’s recent media launch.
The result is a mobile-first learning platform that fuses microlearning (bite-sized content) with solid instructional design—essentially transforming TikTok-style interaction into real-world skill-building. But don’t let the word “micro” mislead you. “If we could learn everything by watching reels all day, we’d all have PhDs by now,” Kang quipped.
Active learning
What sets Gnowbe AI apart is its focus on active learning. Instead of passively sitting through lectures, users are prompted to take selfies, answer questions, and interact with peers.
“It’s not just clicking through slides,” Kang explained. “It’s about applying what you learn in real life. That’s how we grow knowledge.”
The new AI functionality pushes that even further. “We’re not trying to create one super teacher to rule them all,” Kang said. “We’re trying to create 100 Anthonys—digitally.”
That means Gnowbe AI can take existing content—PDFs, SOPs, videos, articles—and instantly turn it into a full-blown interactive learning experience.
So who is it for? “It’s designed for people who want to learn,” Kang said simply.
There are two main user groups: the creators and the learners. “The creators are the trainers, thought leaders, and managers—your boss, your operations head, your compliance or sales lead. They could also be a pastor, a teacher, or someone from media. With Gnowbe AI, they can create and deliver training,” Kang explained.
The learners are those eager to grow—employees, volunteers, students. “We target companies, churches, nonprofits, and schools. Usually, it’s groups with over 1,000 people. That’s when you really need this kind of technology.”
Gnowbe AI already serves users in over 100 countries and supports more than 70 languages—“of course, including Tagalog,” Kang proudly noted. “That means you can communicate and train diverse audiences wherever they are.”
Earlier this year, Gnowbe AI launched in Davao. Now, BusinessWorks Inc. is rolling it out nationwide—from private companies to government agencies.
“We’re incorporating Gnowbe into our sessions with the Department of Education and the Department of Health,” Pangilinan said. “Imagine 190,000 teachers, all with phones, getting the same quality training whether they’re in Manila or Butuan.”
Kang added, “You get all the data, analytics, and tracking to see what’s working, where people struggle, and how to improve. The data becomes very, very important.”
But what stands out most about Gnowbe’s vision is its heart. In an era of cold automation, it puts people first. “Our mission is to humanize the world,” Kang said. “Gnowbe AI isn’t here to replace you. It’s here to multiply your impact.”
