The “Gamy Effect”: AI Platform From Russia’s Far East Helps Prevent Teacher Burnout
Graduate students at Dalnevostochnyy federalnyy universitet (Far Eastern Federal University) have developed Gamy. Powered by AI, the platform helps teachers turn lesson materials into interactive games.
The web-based platform Gamy streamlines lesson preparation. A teacher uploads any text, a textbook paragraph, or even just a topic, selects a format – such as level progression or a “wheel of knowledge” – and the AI takes it from there. In under 30 seconds, the system produces a ready-to-use interactive assignment in game format.
Alpha Students Test the Beta Version
Students open the game via a link and start learning right away. Six pilot programs in Vladivostok showed strong results – engagement increased by 20–30%. One of the developers, Evelina Polyanskaya, explains: “Today’s Generation Alpha has fragmented attention and expects fast, interactive content. Existing platforms still require around two hours of manual work from teachers. We automated that process. What used to take an entire evening now takes just a few minutes.”
The project team also includes Anton Nurgaliev, Vitaliy Norvin, Darya Zhuravleva, and Darya Perfilieva. Some of the developers are enrolled in an educational program created jointly with Sberbank. The project has already won the Sverkhnovye 3.0 (Supernovae 3.0 grant competition) organized by the Vladivostok administration and secured 200,000 rubles (approximately $2,200) for further development.
The Market Is Ready
At first glance, this might look like just another AI tool. In practice, the data points in a different direction. The market is not only mature – it is actively looking for solutions like this. Even major players such as Sber and Yandex are moving into the space. For example, Sber offers an “Assistant for Teachers,” which by mid-2025 was already used by more than 30,000 educators across 30 regions. Meanwhile, Yandex Education recently introduced Neyrokvizy (Neuroquizzes), which generate assessment tasks based on materials uploaded by teachers.
There is, however, a key limitation. Most existing platforms still leave a large share of routine work with teachers. AI helps cut that load. According to research presented at the Avgustovka – 2025 conference, 80% of teachers say so. Among those already using AI, 32% apply it specifically to lesson preparation – generating ideas, teaching approaches, and lesson plans. One in four educators uses AI directly in the classroom.
Teachers are not looking for novelty alone – they want to reclaim time in their day. This is where Gamy lands precisely. At the same time, Mintsifry (Ministry of Digital Development) has launched the Kod budushchego (Code of the Future program), which teaches AI and robotics. The country needs domestic tools, and this startup from Dalnevostochnyy federalnyy universitet is entering the market at the right moment.
Quizzes, Quests, and AI
Efforts to align education with algorithms have been underway for years. Since 2024, the market has entered what could be described as the “assistant era.” That year, a major player, SberObrazovanie, introduced its “Assistant for Teachers.” This is no longer just a task generator. The system has been included in the national software registry. By June 2025, it was already in use in 1,200 schools and 60 universities.
In 2025, Yandex drove a wave of generative AI adoption. Soon after, the company expanded its toolkit based on YandexGPT. Its focus includes Neyrokvizy and tools for checking text originality. Large technology companies recognized that automating test creation and assessment is a promising direction. This is where Gamy finds its edge – a focus on game-based learning rather than generic text generation.
Globally, similar trends are emerging. Kahoot!, a long-standing leader in quiz-based learning, announced AI tools in 2025 that can instantly generate quizzes. MagicSchool positions itself as an AI platform for educators, offering more than 80 tools for teachers and over 50 for students – covering use cases from lesson planning to behavioral strategies. Another major platform, Quizizz, rebranded as Waygroun to reflect its shift toward becoming a broader AI learning hub. Gamy follows the same trajectory but places a stronger emphasis on classroom-driven gamification.
A Job for AI, Not a Replacement
The most common concern around AI in education is that it could replace teachers. Gamy suggests the opposite. It works as a vertical assistant. Teachers move away from being task generators and toward becoming architects of the learning process and mentors. The AI takes over routine mechanics – breaking text into questions, generating answer options, and packaging them into engaging formats.
What comes next? For Gamy to move beyond being a promising tool for advanced schools, the team will need to build out an ecosystem. Right now, the platform is an MVP. Ideally, it would include performance analytics, integration with electronic gradebooks, and a library of ready-made scenarios across subjects. If that happens, Russia could bring a competitive product not only to its domestic market but also to international markets, including CIS countries and parts of Asia. For now, Gamy gives teachers something essential – time. Time for creativity, inspiration, and new ideas.
