From our research and education archive. Added October 27, 2026.
From Scaling to Transformation
Squirrel Ai Learning is the subject of two Stanford Graduate School of Business teaching cases that explore the business decisions behind scaling an AI education company. The 2024 update, Squirrel AI Update: Business Model Transformation, follows an earlier case published in 2019.
Together, the cases offer two perspectives on the same organization: how an adaptive learning business grows, and how its strategy changes when the environment around it shifts. This story looks back at the public descriptions of those cases.
The 2019 Case: Learning by Scaling
The original case, Squirrel AI: Learning by Scaling, was written by Stephen Ciesinski and Jeffrey Conn. Its public summary describes founder Derek Haoyang Li’s efforts to build an AI-based adaptive learning company and considers the decisions involved in expanding it.
Topics include the product and software architecture, hiring, and the use of both franchising and direct-to-consumer approaches. These are connected choices: an education business needs a way to deliver its product, support its people, and reach learners as it grows.
The 2024 Update: A Changing Business Model
The three-page update, case E666B, was written by Jeffrey Conn, Steve Ciesinski, and Howie Rosen. Stanford’s public description focuses on Squirrel Ai’s response to abrupt regulatory changes in mainland China and the resulting need to rethink its business model and go-to-market approach.
The listed learning objectives include navigating strategic pivots, international scaling, regulatory uncertainty, and organizational change. The emphasis is on management decisions in a changing environment.
For readers interested in the business of AI education, these cases provide a starting point for discussing growth and adaptation. Their role is business education; the case descriptions should be read in that context.
Read the Original Case Descriptions
Explore the public summaries and publication details on Stanford GSB’s website. The full teaching cases are available through the publisher.
