Should Scaler Academy keep live classes at the core, or move to recorded lessons with an AI tutor?

Introduction

Live classes have been central to Scaler Academy's identity. Working engineers attend evening sessions with instructors from product companies, ask questions in real time, and move through the program as a cohort. But live classes are expensive to run, hard to schedule for people with demanding jobs, and many learners end up watching recordings anyway. AI tutors now make it possible to offer high-quality recorded content plus on-demand, personalised help. The trade-off in this prompt: should Scaler Academy keep live classes as the core format, or shift to recorded lessons supported by an AI tutor and fewer live sessions?

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: What is driving this question?

Why it matters: Cost pressure and learner flexibility imply different goals. Expected answer: Both. Many learners miss live classes due to work, and live delivery is a large cost line. Impact on approach: We weigh outcomes, satisfaction and cost together.

• Business: How much of the program's value proposition rests on live classes?

Why it matters: Marketing and pricing may depend on them. Expected answer: Live classes and mentorship are core selling points. Impact on approach: Any change must keep perceived value.

• User: What share of learners attend live versus watching recordings?

Why it matters: Shows actual behaviour. Expected answer: About 55% attend live on average; attendance falls in later months. Impact on approach: A large share already learns asynchronously.

• Technical: Can the AI tutor answer program-specific questions reliably?

Why it matters: Poor answers could harm learning. Expected answer: It can be grounded in course materials, with escalation to TAs. Impact on approach: Quality monitoring is essential.