Microsoft Unlocked: Reading Coach

Microsoft Unlocked
Reading Coach

Learning to read is one of the most personal milestones in a student’s life. With Microsoft Reading Coach, AI makes that journey more empowering. On Microsoft Unlocked, we told a different kind of AI story—about real learners, devoted teachers, and the magic sparked when curiosity meets thoughtful technology.

The Challenge

Microsoft Reading Coach draws on decades of literacy research to boost students’ fluency and confidence. But while embraced in classrooms, AI in education still sparks debate. The challenge: show that AI, when designed thoughtfully, can support human connection in the classroom rather than replace it.

Our approach

We designed an immersive digital experience to bring the impact of Reading Coach to life in real classrooms.

At its core was a carefully mapped user journey that wove together teacher and student interviews, editorial storytelling, motion design, AI-generated elements, and video content. This integrated approach helped audiences see how thoughtful technology can empower students and support teachers.

Students and teachers leading the storytelling
Students used Reading Coach’s AI to craft interactive stories, helping them engage more deeply with reading by becoming authors themselves. Their stories, enriched with AI-generated book covers, were paired with hand-drawn illustrations that reflected the real experiences of students and teachers.

This intentional blend of AI and human creativity extended throughout the experience. By centering authentic voices and augmenting them with thoughtfully applied technology, we captured the curiosity, creativity, and joy of learning—demonstrating how AI can be a partner in helping educators and students thrive together.

Experiencing Reading Coach firsthand

To help audiences understand the impact of Reading Coach, we gave them a hands-on experience. Visitors could explore an interactive AI story generator, choosing characters, settings, and reading levels to instantly create their own custom stories and book covers — just as students do in the classroom.

We also showcased Reading Coach’s multilingual accessibility through an interactive audio feature. Visitors can listen to real interviews with teachers and students in English, Spanish, and Dutch, following along with highlighted text, mirroring how Reading Coach supports language learners.

The impact

The campaign drove almost 3 million page views, and the video quickly became Microsoft’s most-viewed YouTube video, earning over 13 million views in under a month. By centering the authentic voices of teachers and students, the story illustrated how AI can deepen engagement and connection in the classroom.