Google is using its Gemini AI to boost education platforms

Google has announced Gemini Education, a new generative AI suite designed to cater to the needs of learning facilities and students.

The program, which is only available to those over 18 years old, offers eligible Google Workspace accounts access to Gemini’s GenAI functionalities.

The broadened access to Google’s AI will give educational account holder access to the usual array of Gemini features, including Gmail thread summaries, organizational support in Sheets and content generation in Docs.

Gemini for the education sector

The ChatGPT rival will be available in two separate packages, the cheapest of which, Gemini Education, will provide a cost-effective way for institutions to start with AI by capping activity within a monthly limit.

The pricier Gemini Education Premium adds additional features, such as AI note-taking in Meet and enhanced data loss prevention. It also removes the monthly limit and promises to deliver more functionality over time.

Both offerings also include access to the Gemini chatbot (gemini.google.com), which includes enterprise data protections and supports over 40 languages. The plans make use of 1.0 Pro, which powers the standard Gemini chatbot, rather than Gemini Advanced’s 1.0 Ultra.

According to the company’s announcement, Gemini has proven very popular among education users. It has addressed this by introducing two new integrations with OpenStax and Data Commons, which are set to arrive soon. Users can interact with the extensions directly from within the Gemini interface, calling on their additional knowledge and context by using an @ symbol, for example: “@OpenStax how does the Moon’s distance and orbital path influence the type of solar eclipse we see?”

In a statement, blog post author and Google for Education VP Shantanu Sinha asserted: “AI can never replace the expertise, knowledge, or creativity of an educator, but it can be a helpful tool to enhance and enrich teaching and learning experiences.”

Gemini Education is available now, with a May 23 webinar planned to guide prospective users through how to use the AI tools.