Train Stronger Teams Faster
Plan Effectively. Save Time. Sharpen Your Team’s Critical Thinking with an AI Platform built by world-class debate coaches.
Symbai is an AI-powered debating platform
Designed To Reflect The Structure Of Real Competitive Debating.
Built for students, it helps teams practice both sides of a motion, sharpen rebuttal, and prepare independently — all in a structured, competitive format.
AI Opponent That ADAPTS
Students debate against an intelligent AI that argues the opposite side of any motion.
Structured Rebuttal Format
Built using structured debate — every session mirrors real competitive formats.
Practice Anytime
Ideal for lunchtime clubs, after-school training, or home preparation.
Distraction-Free
Locked full-screen mode simulates the pressure of real debate — no copy-paste or web access.
Meet Sharuka Wikramanayake —
Our Chief Product Officer and resident debating champ!
Our Chief Product Officer and resident debating champ!
In Shar's Words
Symbai delivers consistent coaching and feedback at a scale no individual coach could reach. This enhances existing elite programs and brings accessible debate training to every school, not just those with established debating teams or access to university-level coaches.
I’ve been able to pour my years of debating and coaching experience into an intelligent system that gives students the challenge and feedback they need to think harder, question more deeply, and refine their arguments.”
- 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.
Built for Every Level of Debate — From Grassroots to Elite Coaching
Symbai helps every program do more with the time and resources they have.
For under-resourced schools and clubs, it acts as a virtual debate partner—guiding students through structured cases, rebuttals, and feedback even without a full team or coach.
For elite academies and coaching services, it’s a force multiplier—automating fundamentals, mapping arguments, and running AI rebuttals so coaches can focus on the strategy and delivery that win tournaments.
Symbai bridges accessibility and excellence, giving every debater the chance to train like the best—and every coach the freedom to teach at their highest level.
Symbai was created by debate coaches for debate coaches
to solve the pain points every coach experiences.
Case Construction → Enhanced with Symbai
Without Symbai
- Students often draft cases in bullet-point form, which are usually shallow and repetitive.
- Exemplars are rare; students don’t see what a “perfect” case looks like.
- Student cases are often written over several pages, making it difficult to see the ‘big picture’ at a glance.
With Symbai
- Cases can be built visually in minutes with editable AI-generated ‘debatetree’ exemplars that can be edited to the right level.
- Symbai’s ‘debatetree’ visual format makes shallow arguments obvious and helps students expand ideas with a drag-and-drop toolkit.
- Argument types and icons guide students to think strategically.
- A ‘request rebuttal’ tool lets them stress-test cases with AI-generated rebuttals.
- The AI tutor gives instant feedback on structure and content, or can be disabled for independent practice.
Result - Coaches save prep hours. Debaters instantly see how to strengthen their case.
Rebuttal & Clash → Enhanced with Symbai
Without Symbai
- Rebuttal practice is limited due to the constraints of in-person requirements.
- Students default to shallow rebuttals (“That’s not true”) instead of thinking strategically.
- Students struggle to see how individual rebuttals come to form broader points of clash.
With Symbai
- Each student can practise rebuttals against the AI opponent at home.
- Students have access to the ‘rebuttal toolkit,’ which provides inspiration and guidance for more strategic rebuttals than simply ‘that’s not true.’
- The visual representation of rebuttal chains clarifies points of clash and encourages debaters to consider if they are driving the debate or merely reacting.
- The debatetree structure allows students to quickly prepare rebuttals, allowing for more active listening during debates.
Result - Every debater gets more clash reps than in live-only training.
Delivery & Style → Enhanced with Symbai
Without Symbai
- Students often read word-for-word from notes or essays, leading to poor eye contact.
- Students get lost in their own notes, leading to panic at the lectern.
- Students fail to signpost.
With Symbai
Students can use their debate mindmaps (called ‘debatetrees’) as a structured approach to debate notes. The ‘debatetree’ structure:
- Forces students to keep their notes brief
- Utilizes visual icons and connectors to quickly remind debaters of vital information.
- Encourages clear signposting as students move between argument branches.
Result - Students focus on implementing the feedback you provide regarding speech delivery rather than worrying about covering all the content in their notes.
Adjudication & Feedback → Enhanced with Symbai
Without Symbai
- Tracking points of clash and other structural aspects in document form is difficult.
- Students struggle to retain the mostly auditory feedback given.
- Weak adjudication = weaker learning loop.
With Symbai
- Map student arguments quickly using Symbai’s drag-and-drop canvas to map arguments in real time, allowing you more time for active listening.
- Coaches receive a performance dashboard that includes suggested points, rebuttals, and the time spent by each student in the debate.
- Each adjudication yields a structured overview that can be shared with students.
Result - Every debate becomes a feedback loop — mapped, measured, and reviewable — so students can finally see why they won or lost, not just that they did.
Give Your Team the Competitive Edge — Risk-Free
Symbai helps debating programs scale impact without adding staff.
Run smarter practices, get data-rich feedback, and develop sharper speakers — all for less than the cost of a single coaching session.
Start your 7-day free trial today — no commitment, no setup required.
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