AI-Powered Features
Loka integrates AI to help you teach more effectively. From generating teaching suggestions to creating review materials automatically, these tools save time and improve the learning experience.
Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
Loka uses a BYOK model for AI features. This means you provide your own API key from a supported AI provider, and Loka uses it to power AI features in your account. You are billed directly by the AI provider based on your usage -- Loka does not mark up or resell AI access.
Supported Providers
| Provider | Key Setting | Default Model |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic Claude | Settings > AI Integration | Claude Sonnet |
| OpenAI | Settings > AI Integration | GPT-4o Mini |
Adding Your API Key
- Go to Settings in your educator dashboard
- Open the AI Integration section
- Enter your API key for Anthropic, OpenAI, or both
- Select your preferred provider (the one Loka will try first)
- Save your settings
Your keys are encrypted and stored securely. Loka never shares your keys with third parties.
If you're unsure which provider to choose, Anthropic Claude generally produces more nuanced language feedback, while OpenAI GPT-4o Mini is faster and uses fewer tokens. You can add keys for both and let the fallback system handle the rest.
Provider Fallback
If you have keys for both providers, Loka uses an automatic fallback system:
- Loka tries your preferred provider first
- If that provider fails (rate limit, quota exceeded, temporary error), Loka automatically retries with the other provider
- You get your result without interruption
This means you're never blocked by a single provider's downtime.
AI Features
AI Suggest
During or after a lesson, use AI Suggest to get teaching recommendations based on your session notes:
- Suggested follow-up topics based on what was covered
- Recommended exercises for areas where the student struggled
- Vocabulary expansion ideas related to the lesson theme
Access AI Suggest from the canvas toolbar or the session review screen.
ARP Generation
AI can automatically generate Active Recall Pairs from your lesson content:
- Complete a session with notes on the Living Canvas
- Click Generate ARPs from the canvas menu
- AI analyzes your session notes, keywords, and CIPs
- A set of question-answer pairs is generated for student review
You can edit, approve, or discard any generated ARPs before they're added to the student's review deck.
AI-Powered Session Feedback
After a lesson, AI can generate structured feedback for your student:
- Summary of what was covered
- Strengths demonstrated during the session
- Areas for improvement with specific examples
- Recommended practice activities
This feedback is based on your canvas notes and CIPs, so the more detailed your session records, the better the feedback.
Fathom AI Integration
If you use Fathom AI for meeting transcription, you can connect it to Loka:
- Go to Settings > AI Integration
- Enter your Fathom API key
- After a lesson conducted via video call, Fathom's transcription can feed into Loka's ARP generation and feedback tools
This is especially powerful for conversation-heavy lessons where you may not have time to type detailed notes on the canvas. The transcription fills in the gaps.
Usage and Costs
Since you own your API keys, AI costs depend on your usage:
| Feature | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| AI Suggest | A few cents per request |
| ARP Generation | A few cents per session |
| Session Feedback | A few cents per session |
Costs are billed directly by your AI provider (Anthropic or OpenAI). Check your provider's dashboard for detailed usage tracking.
AI features are optional. Loka works fully without them -- you can always create ARPs, write feedback, and plan lessons manually. AI simply speeds up the process.