Summary of Key Points
This summer, the AI learning machine market saw a surge in new products, with prices soaring to tens of thousands of yuan (for example, the Xueersi T6 Max sells for 11,999 yuan, which is comparable to a MacBook Air). However, sales have declined—online sales on 618 dropped by 18%, and total sales decreased by 11%. The industry relies on price increases to drive growth (increasing sales despite declining volumes), with leading brands dominating the market (the top four brands account for 86.5% of the share). Behind this is a shift in parents' concerns after the "Double Reduction" policy, which has shifted from academic tutoring to hardware. But there are serious issues with these products: AI features are more of a gimmick (with weak underlying capabilities; for instance, essay grading merely involves keyword matching), the content is outdated, and there are hidden payment traps. Now that the market bubble has burst, the era of charging premium prices based on parents' anxiety is coming to an end. Only products that truly create value will survive.
1. Price Increases, but Sales Drop: A Dangerous Signal
This summer, learning machine brands have aimed high-end with products like the BBK S10, iFlytek T90, and Xueersi T6 series (with the highest price reaching 11,999 yuan). But how well are they selling? The data speaks for itself:
- Sales of learning tablets decreased by 1% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, and online sales on 618 dropped by 18.2%;
- Although sales volume hasn't declined significantly, it's due to price increases (Xueersi raised its prices to tens of thousands of yuan), not because more products were sold.
This is like turning the strategy of "low profit, high volume" upside down—selling fewer products at higher prices may seem good in the short term, but it's dangerous in the long run. Consumers are not fools; when prices far exceed expectations (40% of consumers only accept prices between 2,000-4,000 yuan), they will eventually switch to cheaper alternatives. Moreover, with leading brands holding 86% of the market share, it's even harder for smaller brands to survive, and competition within the industry is intensifying.
2. What Do Parents Really Buy When Buying Learning Machines? — The "Emotional Value" of Anxiety Relief
After the "Double Reduction" policy, parents are less likely to enroll their children in academic tutoring classes (academic tutoring expenditures accounted for only 9% in 2023), but their anxiety hasn't gone away. Instead, they're turning to learning machines (hardware expenditures increased to 8.1% in 2023). Parents' real needs are not so much AI features as:
- Surface-level: Homework assistance and question-solving (to save themselves the hassle of tutoring);
- Deeper-level: A sense of security that someone is managing their child's learning, such as a learning machine acting like a non-emotional tutor who can supervise progress.
The problem is that brands are overcharging for this emotional value. For example, some parents say they buy learning machines to "save themselves from the depression caused by tutoring homework," but if the only useful feature is photo-based question-solving, which is just as available on cheaper tablets for 2,000 yuan, isn't that a waste of money?
3. How Much Real Value Does the High-Price AI in Learning Machines Offer? — More Gimmick than Substance
Many brands claim that buying a learning machine is like hiring dozens of top teachers, but the actual AI features are lacking:
1. AI as a Gimmick: Basic functions like "precision learning" merely categorize mistakes and often misidentify them; essay grading is just keyword matching with generic comments that don't address the root causes of errors. According to CCID Research, 45% of users only use photo-based question-solving, while core AI features (knowledge graphs, precise diagnostics) are rarely utilized—these machines are essentially high-end tablets.
2. Outdated Content and Payment Traps: The software uses outdated textbooks by 1-2 years, and real exam questions are unavailable. High-quality courses require additional payments (e.g., buying a machine and then paying to unlock them), leading parents to complain of fraud.
3. Poor Hardware Quality: Some Xueersi machines malfunctioned on the same day of purchase, and customer service said it's normal for new models to have bugs, even suggesting users download third-party apps like DouBao Aixue to fix them. Does this quality justify a price of tens of thousands of yuan?
4. Free Large Models Are Competing: Have Learning Machines Lost Their Edge?
Free, general-purpose large models (like DouBao, Kimi, DeepSeek) can do what learning machines can, and even faster. Users naturally wonder: What's the difference between spending tens of thousands of yuan on a learning machine and using a free model on their phone?
Brands like Xueersi, which used to rely on content, are now facing competition from lightweight apps that provide similar services. Their hardware quality is poor, and they can't generate revenue through subscriptions (since machines are sold once). If consumer electronics giants like Huawei and Apple enter the market, Xueersi will have even less of an advantage—the barrier to entry has already been broken by these models.
5. How Can Learning Machines Survive After the Anxiety Boom Subsides? — Return to "Real Value"
In the past, learning machines relied on advertising to tap into parents' anxiety ("children shouldn't suffer"). Now that the bubble has burst, they need to compete on actual value:
1. Provide More Than Just Answers: Learning machines should not just solve problems; they should teach children how to ask questions and think (e.g., by analyzing the knowledge gaps behind mistakes).
2. Personalization: Parents want personalized learning plans tailored to their children's weaknesses, not one-size-fits-all courses.
3. Competitive Pricing: Since consumers are willing to pay 2,000-4,000 yuan, brands should stop overcharging for emotional value and ensure the features match the price.
In summary, AI learning machines aren't doomed, but they can no longer rely on exploiting parents' anxiety. Only products that truly enhance children's learning abilities will thrive in the future.