AI reading coach startup Ello now lets kids create their own stories

Ello, the AI reading companion that aims to support kids struggling to read, launched a new product on Monday that allows kids to participate in the story-creation process.

Called “Storytime,” the new AI-powered feature helps kids generate personalized stories by picking from a selection of settings, characters, and plots. For instance, a story about a hamster named Greg who performed in a talent show in outer space.

Kids can select from dozens of prompts, resulting in thousands of combinations.

Like Ello’s regular reading offering, the AI companion — a bright blue, friendly elephant — listens to the child read aloud and evaluates their speech to correct mispronunciations and missed words. If kids are unsure how to pronounce a certain word, they can tap on the question mark icon for extra help.

Storytime offers two reading options: one mode where Ello and the reader take turns and another, easier mode for younger readers where Ello does most of the reading.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/30/ai-reading-coach-startup-ello-launches-custom-story-creation-feature-for-kids/