Sal Khan

Current Company

Khan Academy — Founder & CEO

One Man, One Whiteboard, Two Billion Lessons

Sal Khan started Khan Academy in 2008 by recording math tutorials for his cousins and uploading them to YouTube. A former hedge fund analyst with three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard, Sal Khan didn't plan to become the most influential educator of the internet era — he just wanted to help his family. But the videos went viral, and Sal Khan realized that free, high-quality education delivered through technology could reach anyone with an internet connection, regardless of income or geography.

Khan Academy has since delivered over two billion lessons to learners in 190 countries, covering subjects from kindergarten math to AP physics to financial literacy. The platform is entirely free, funded by philanthropy from organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, and individual donors. Sal Khan's decision to keep Khan Academy a nonprofit — turning down offers that would have made him extraordinarily wealthy — reflects his conviction that education is a public good, not a product.

The AI Tutor Revolution

Sal Khan has positioned Khan Academy at the forefront of AI in education with Khanmigo, an AI-powered tutoring assistant built in partnership with OpenAI. Rather than giving students answers, Khanmigo uses the Socratic method — asking guiding questions, identifying misconceptions, and adapting to each learner's pace. It's the realization of a vision Sal Khan has articulated for over a decade: every student having access to a world-class personal tutor.

As CEO, Sal Khan has navigated the tension between technology optimism and responsible deployment, insisting that AI in education must be transparent, safe, and designed to support teachers rather than replace them. His 2024 book on AI and education has made him one of the most prominent voices shaping how schools, parents, and policymakers think about artificial intelligence in learning environments.