Gov. Mike DeWine gathered with several other community leaders the morning of Sept. 15 to welcome a new face to LifeTown Columbus.
Mia is an AI-powered hologram that depicts a life-sized smiling young girl donning a red cape, ready to chat with any child who engages her. The conversational learning companion – known as a Super Buddy – is the latest technology designed by LifeTown with a goal to help children learn and build confidence.
LifeTown, Mia provide a new way to learn
LifeTown, a 5,000-square-foot simulated village in New Albany’s Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center, was designed to allow students with special needs to practice life skills in a safe, encouraging environment. The program was established in 2008 and works with 130 schools, according to LifeTown Columbus’ executive
director Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann.
Storefronts in the space include a library, medical center, beauty shop, theater and more, where lessons tailored to students’ needs teach personal, social, independent living and pre-employment skills.
Mia stands in the center of LifeTown, ready and waiting to learn from the kids around her. She’s not the teacher; the children are.
“After exploring the village, I’ll ask them to teach me what they learned,” the AI hologram said in a demonstration during the ceremony. “How to make good choices, how to help a friend and how to handle difficult situations.”
Gov. DeWine praises new Super Buddy technology
The purpose of this educational method, known as mirrored learning, is to help children learn through teaching while gaining confidence in themselves. Kaltmann said the AI technology uses a closed system to ensure children’s safety as they interact with Mia.
“We hear a lot of talk now, of course, about AI,” Gov. DeWine said in his address during the ceremony. “And it's clear from looking at and learning about Super Buddy… that this is a good use, a positive use of AI. A use that is controlled by humans. Human settings, clear boundaries. And this is the way it is supposed to be done.”
Kaltmann applauded DeWine’s support for the Super Buddy project. “There has never been a governor that’s done more for children in Ohio than Governor DeWine,” he said.
LifeTown's new tech honors cherished community member
Possibly the most impactful speech during the ceremony came from Marina Sher, a friend of Kaltmann and mother to the late Benjamin Dimenbort.
Dimenbort, 25, had a knack for connecting with people. The Ohio State University student was studying psychology and had big dreams for the future, Sher said. Dimenbort’s life was tragically cut short in 2023 due to an overdose.
Dimenbort had a remarkable ability to connect with people, particularly children, Sher said. “He saw the world differently, had big plans for the future and tried every day to become better version of himself,” she said in her address.
Kaltmann chose to honor Dimenbort by coining the Supper Buddy technology Benify AI.
“May Ben's memory continue to be a blessing through every life [this technology] touches,” Sher said.
During the ceremony, Kaltmann said that he hoped the ribbon cutting would represent more to the community than the introduction of new technology.
“May it represent a future in which every single child knows that you matter, that you have something to teach and that your life has infinite value,” Kaltmann said, addressing the children in the crowd.
“And perhaps the greatest way we can honor my dear friend, Ben, is by helping another child to discover just how valuable each and every one of you is.”
Reporter Kelly Tucker can be reached at ktucker@dispatch.com.
This article was made possible by support from the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation, which has partnered with The Columbus Dispatch to profile those making our community a better place. Help us lift up inspiring stories of kindness by suggesting people, initiatives, or organizations to feature by emailing kindness@dispatch.com. The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content. Learn more at Dispatch.com/Kindness.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Meet Mia, the AI hologram teaching confidence at LifeTown Columbus
