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Symbai Ai Logo - the future of critical thinking education

The World's Best Debate App For Critical Thinking

Use Gamified Drag-and-Drop AI to Build Critical Thinking Skills and Learn How to Think, Not What to Think.

Already Helping Learners & Educators Worldwide. 

 

How Symbai works for:

Educators

1

Create Your Debate Setup

Enter a debating topic and choose which side Symbai should argue. Symbai's AI instantly builds a clear, well-structured case to kickstart the debate.



2

Distribute Learner Copies

Share individualized debate workspaces—each containing Symbai’s case and space for the learner’s own arguments—customized with the right conditions for their growth, such as difficulty level, access to the AI tutor, and other adaptive settings.

3

Run Interactive Debates

Students debate their own AI opponent under the learning conditions you’ve chosen. This is where teaching students to think critically happens in real time—while you get live performance and engagement data.



4

Review & Reflect

Each debate session delivers rich insights into every student’s argument structure and critical thinking growth. Symbai helps you teach critical thinking skills while tracking progress across debates.

Individuals

1

Choose A Topic

Tell our AI a topic you are interested in and it will create a structured debating activity suitable for your level around it.



2

Debate!

Debate our specially trained AI in a drag-and-drop canvas with a helpful debating toolkit and AI coach at hand.



3

Review & Grow

Identify ways to improve your critical thinking based on performance data and AI feedback, then grow by implementing that feedback.

Educators

1

Create Your Debate Setup

Enter a debating topic and choose which side Symbai should argue. Symbai's AI instantly builds a clear, well-structured case to kickstart the debate.



2

Distribute Learner Copies

Share individualized debate workspaces—each containing Symbai’s case and space for the learner’s own arguments—customized with the right conditions for their growth, such as difficulty level, access to the AI tutor, and other adaptive settings.

3

Run Interactive Debates

Students debate their own AI opponent under the learning conditions you’ve chosen. This is where teaching students to think critically happens in real time—while you get live performance and engagement data.



4

Review & Reflect

Each debate session delivers rich insights into every student’s argument structure and critical thinking growth. Symbai helps you teach critical thinking skills while tracking progress across debates.

1

Choose A Topic

Tell our AI a topic you are interested in and it will create a structured debating activity suitable for your level around it.


2

Debate!

Debate our specially trained AI in a drag-and-drop canvas with a helpful debating toolkit and AI coach at hand.


3

Review & Grow

Identify ways to improve your critical thinking based on performance data and AI feedback, then grow by implementing that feedback.

The Two Most Effective Ways to Improve Critical Thinking

Unified in Symbai

Debating

Hundreds of thousands of students across 60 countries choose to spend their free time in formal debating competitions because it improves their critical thinking skills. 

Formal debating improves:

  • Dynamic reasoning — adapting ideas under pressure

  • Strategic thought — anticipating and countering objections

  • Cognitive discipline — structuring arguments with clarity and purpose

Increases Critical Thinking By Up To 50%

Competitive debate produces greater critical thinking improvement than argumentation courses.
Allen et al. measured the improvement using the Watson–Glaser critical-thinking test — a gold-standard assessment of inference, deduction, and evaluation skills.”
Source

8.6% Critical Thinking Gains In Just 3 Weeks

Students who participated in debate competition showed statistically significant improvements in critical thinking scores after just three weeks.
An 8.6% improvement in critical thinking is the cognitive equivalent of dropping your resting heart rate from 70 to 64 BPM. That's not learning facts or techniques — that's developing lasting cognitive fitness.
Source

9 in 10 former debaters go on to earn at least one advanced degree.

Of 703 National Debate Tournament alumni, over 90% held a graduate or professional degree, and many held multiple advanced degrees.
Of the 703 former NDT debaters; 40% earned master’s degrees (MA, MSc, MBA, MEd, etc.), 20% earned doctoral degrees (PhD, MD, EdD) and many held multiple advanced or professional degrees.
Source
Argument Mapping

Argument mapping has been around for hundreds of years, used by philosophers, scientists, and modern critical-thinking educators to make critical thinking clearer by drawing it out.
 And for good reason: when done well, argument mapping is one of the most effective ways to improve critical thinking and develop sharper logical reasoning.

Argument mapping helps you:

  • Clarify reasoning by revealing the actual structure of your thinking
  • Expose weak links that get lost in normal prose
  • Build precision through visual logic rather than persuasive writing tricks
A simple argument map diagram showing a “Main Claim” at the top supported by a “Reason” and “Evidence,” along with an “Objection” connected to a counter-reason, illustrating the structure of logical argumentation.

Improves Critical Thinking Courses By Over 300%

Critical thinking courses that used argument mapping software saw students improve their critical thinking over 300% more than similar critical thinking courses.
Compared a standard logic class to one using argument mapping software. The mapping group made dramatically greater gains on a standardized critical thinking test, far exceeding typical semester improvements.
Source

One Semester Of Argument Mapping Produces 6-7x MORE Critical Thinking Gains Than One Semester Of Normal University Study

Semester-long CT courses using digital argument mapping consistently produced effect sizes of 0.7-0.85 on standardized critical thinking tests. By comparison, a typical university semester yields just 0.11
Source

9% Critical Thinking Gains In Just Weeks

Five weeks of an argument mapping-led course resulted in an average critical thinking gain of 9%
These gains were achieved with minimal explicit critical thinking teaching. The gains came from interactions with other students within argument mapping software.
Source

 

Debating develops the habits that critical thinking courses try to teach:

  • Dynamic reasoning — adapting ideas under pressure

  • Strategic thought — anticipating and countering objections

  • Cognitive discipline — structuring arguments with clarity and purpose

Increases Critical Thinking By Up To 50%

Competitive debate produces greater critical thinking improvement than argumentation courses.
Allen et al. measured the improvement using the Watson–Glaser critical-thinking test — a gold-standard assessment of inference, deduction, and evaluation skills.”
Source

8.6% Critical Thinking Gains In Just 3 Weeks

Students who participated in debate competition showed statistically significant improvements in critical thinking scores after just three weeks.
An 8.6% improvement in critical thinking is the cognitive equivalent of dropping your resting heart rate from 70 to 64 BPM. That's not learning facts or techniques — that's developing lasting cognitive fitness.
Source

9 in 10 former debaters go on to earn at least one advanced degree.

Of 703 National Debate Tournament alumni, over 90% held a graduate or professional degree, and many held multiple advanced degrees.
Of the 703 former NDT debaters; 40% earned master’s degrees (MA, MSc, MBA, MEd, etc.), 20% earned doctoral degrees (PhD, MD, EdD) and many held multiple advanced or professional degrees.
Source

If debating is the clash of ideas, argument mapping is the architecture that makes clear thinking possible.
 It’s the practice of breaking critical thinking into smaller parts — claims, evidence, objections, and assumptions — and arranging them so the logic becomes visible.

Argument mapping has been around for hundreds of years, used by philosophers, scientists, and modern critical-thinking educators to make critical thinking clearer by drawing it out.
 And for good reason: when done well, argument mapping is one of the most effective ways to improve critical thinking and develop sharper logical reasoning.

Argument mapping helps you:

  • Clarify reasoning by revealing the actual structure of your thinking

     

  • Expose weak links that get lost in normal prose

     

  • Build precision through visual logic rather than persuasive writing tricks

     

These benefits make it a powerful method for anyone looking to enhance critical thinking skills, improve decision-making, or analyze arguments more effectively.

But traditional argument mapping has limits:

  • Pen and paper mapping is slow and quickly becomes cluttered
  • Digital mapping tools speed things up but remain static
  • And because the map never talks back, even skilled thinkers can hit writer’s block when faced with a silent diagram
Symbai combines the energy of debate with the clarity of argument mapping.

Debating

Dynamic and engaging, but:

  • Shackles your critical thinking growth to your public spreaking confidence.

  • Hard to visualise logic.

  • Limited practice opportunities.

Argument Mapping

Precise and clear, but:

  • Slow and cluttered on paper.

  • Static on digital tools.

  • Easy to get writer’s block.

The best of both worlds and more:

  • Engaging debate on-demand without the need to speak publicly. 

  • Quickly produce precise argument maps using an intuitive drag-and-drop canvas infused with a AI critical thinking co-pilot. 

Result - Symbai provides on-demand, guided mental training so you can develop critical thinking skills that actually last

Flexible for Every User. Powerful for Every Purpose.

Symbai strengthens reasoning skills across many learning environments — see how it fits yours.

Debaters

Get top-class debate coaching anytime - anywhere.
Sharpen your debate skills with an AI debate coach trained in expert techniques. Practice arguments anytime, anywhere, and build stronger critical thinking through structured feedback.
Learn More

Debate Clubs & Coaches

Automate the basics, get powerful insights and give your coaches superpowers.
Symbai is your AI co-pilot for debate clubs-giving you analytics, AI-powered homework and effortless personalization of tasks.
Learn More

Student Revision

Develop the skill that makes the biggest difference for your grades - critical thinking.
To get top grades, you don’t just memorize—you think critically. Symbai turns your study material into a critical-thinking game to boost understanding, retention, and exam performance.
Learn More

Personal Development

Challenge yourself with real debates that sharpen logic and communication.
Level up your logic, communication, and debate skills with Symbai’s AI debate coach. Structured AI-guided practice builds real-world critical thinking and debate skills — a mental gym for lifelong learners.
Learn More

Home Educators & Students

Independent Thinking, Structured for Home Learning
Symbai provides home educators and learners a structured, low-prep tool for teaching and practicing critical thinking and debate. Upload your own content, explore both sides of issues, and sharpen reasoning skills independently—perfect for homeschool settings.
Learn More

For Classrooms

Transform your content into dynamic AI debates that are fun, customizable and rich with insights.
Symbai’s AI copilot transforms your teaching ideas into structured, trackable debates and essay activities—instantly. From classroom discussions to engaging home assignments, everything aligns seamlessly so learning stays continuous, authentic, and insight-rich.
Learn More

Beyond Chatbots

Symbai is a debating platform full of powerful tools designed to build critical thinking

Designed by World-Class Educators

More about Connor

More about Sharuka

Symbai is built by world-class educators with deep competitive debating and teaching experience at the highest international levels.

Our leadership team leadership team has:

  • Won national championships.
  • Coached national debate squads.
  • Judged major Australasian and World Universities tournaments.
  • Supported students from across the globe.


The team brings together practical coaching experience, pedagogical expertise, and cutting-edge AI design to build tools that genuinely improve critical thinking

Designed by World-Class Educators

More About Connor

More About Connor

In Connors Words

“Symbai exists to make rigorous thinking accessible to anyone who wants to challenge their mind — not just those who already love to argue.

After six years of refining ideas from classrooms, coaching, and code, I built Symbai to make advanced argumentation easy to access — and even fun. It’s where technology meets the art of reasoning, helping you think more clearly, question more deeply, and engage with ideas that push you forward.”

 

 

 More About Connor

Co-taught Baradene’s History Scholarship Program — producing 13 scholarship winners and 4 outstanding scholars, all trained to argue with clarity and evidence.

  • Represented the University of Auckland at national and international debate championships, inspiring Symbai’s focus on clear, reasoned argument.
  • Winner and finalist in senior Auckland Schools Debating competitions.
  • Coached multiple championship teams and doubled student participation in debating & mooting as Head Coach at Baradene College.
  • Microsoft Innovative Educator 2022 & 2024
  • Holds a BA in Political Science and History 
More About Sharuka

More About Sharuka

 

  • Winner of both the New Zealand University Prepared Debating Championship and the New Zealand Impromptu Debating Championship, representing the University of Auckland.
  • Semi-finalist and top 10 speaker at the Australasian Debating Championship and semifinalist at the World Universities Debate Championship in 2021, representing the University of Auckland.
  • Coached the National School Debate team for New Zealand in 2022 and for Sri Lanka in 2025.
  • Chair of the judging panel of the Grand Finals of the Australasian Debate Championship in 2023 and of a Quarterfinal of the World University Debate Championship in 2024.
  • Holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Mathematics and a Bachelor of Laws.

Symbai is built by world-class educators with deep competitive debating and teaching experience at the highest international levels.

Our leadership team leadership team has:

  • Won national championships.
  • Coached national debate squads.
  • Judged major Australasian and World Universities tournaments.
  • Supported students from across the globe.

 

The team brings together practical coaching experience, pedagogical expertise, and cutting-edge AI design to build tools that genuinely improve critical thinking

Develop the critical thinking skills employers & society are crying out for

60% Of Employers Say Critical Thinking Is The #1 Skill Missing In Graduates

Critical thinking is the soft skill most lacking in college graduates, according to 63,924 managers in the United States,
Source

93% Of Employers Value Critical Thinking Over Majors

A national survey of U.S. employers found 93% believe a candidate’s ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems matters more than their undergraduate major.
Source

Critical Thinking Tops The Skills Employers Value

The American Management Association reports that 72% of employers say critical thinking is essential to their organization’s success — ranking it as the most important workplace skill.
Source

Try Free

No-commitment Symbai free trial and improve your critical thinking – cancel anytime

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Extra Benefit

All Symbai users can claim an optional 30-minute coaching session as part of the free trial.

BOOK A FREE DEMO

What others are saying

“I believe Symbai has the potential through its unique multi-AI approach to become ubiquitous in the field of critical thinking in the way that Grammarly is associated with writing or Quizlet is with flash cards.”



Nick Hanne 
Education Partnerships Manager at the Free Speech Union NZ

“Symbai fills a major gap in education — it equips students to think logically, independently, and critically. Unlike other tools, it offers a neutral, AI-driven platform where students can genuinely practise debating and refine their thinking. It’s like having a 24/7 mentor that challenges without bias. A powerful solution for those seeking depth over group think in today’s education landscape.”


Todd Roughton 
Former Principal, HSNZ