According to Ethan Mollick, a new randomized controlled trial shows that dedicated AI tutors measurably improve student learning outcomes, contrasting prior evidence that answer-only AI use undermines learning, as reported via the SSRN preprint (authors’ RCT) and Mollick’s commentary. According to SSRN, the study isolates structured AI tutoring from generic answer generation, indicating gains in assessment performance when students receive guided explanations and step-by-step feedback rather than direct solutions. As reported by the SSRN preprint, the RCT design strengthens causal claims on efficacy, suggesting institutions can deploy AI tutors to raise mastery while curbing shortcut behaviors.