Just in time for the new school year, Google has introduced a tool called Guided Learning within its Gemini chatbot. Unlike tools that offer instant answers, Guided Learning breaks down complex problems step-by-step to support deeper understanding.
The new feature is part of the AI industry’s broader response to growing concerns that chatbots like ChatGPT may undermine education by bypassing the learning process with quick answers. To learn more about Google’s ambitions, strategy, and how its new Guided Learning tool works, Fast Company spoke with DeepMind COO Lila Ibrahim and Dave Messer, a Google product executive.
Google recognizes that while students may sometimes need to look up facts quickly—a strength of searchbots and chatbots—they also benefit from AI that helps them reason through more complex topics. “Our vision is really to have an AI tutor for every student and a TA for every teacher,” says Dave Messer, a former teacher and now the product manager of Guided Learning. The tool mimics a human tutor by tailoring its approach to each student’s learning style, Messer says.
Similar to OpenAI’s new Study mode in ChatGPT (announced last week), Guided Learning guides students through subjects using a conversational method. Instead of delivering answers outright, it leads users to insights through a series of thoughtful questions. These questions are designed to teach students the “how” and “why” behind a topic, encouraging learning throughout the exchange.
“It’s really about building your understanding and having a conversation that is like a thinking partner that can develop that thinking with you, and help make sure that you actually understand it instead of just seeing all the information,” Messer says.
“There are always shortcuts to getting to answers”
According to Google, the learning session flow is backed by years of cognitive science research. For instance, Messer notes that research shows people learn best in “bite-size” chunks to avoid cognitive overload. The tool is designed to break down information in this way, gradually introducing students to a subject’s depth and complexity.
Students can ask the AI questions at any point. In response, Guided Learning usually offers contextual or clarifying details that nudge the student toward the answer, often reframing the question rather than solving it directly. If a student veers off-topic, the AI acknowledges their curiosity but gently redirects them to the core subject.
Guided Learning is the product of two years of work on LearnLM, a family of models developed specifically for education. Ibrahim, DeepMind’s COO, says LearnLM was trained on educational best practices developed by leading experts. That learning was then integrated into Gemini, Google’s flagship general-purpose model, which now powers Guided Learning.
“We spent a year or so making sure that it properly got infused into Gemini. [We] did all the testing to make sure that it was grounded with all the maths and sciences, the humanities that [are] appropriate for students,” Ibrahim says, noting that the new tool is a natural evolution of Google’s 20-year commitment to applying consumer tech—in this case, AI—to education.
“I wouldn’t say we’re naive; we know that there are always shortcuts to getting to answers,” Ibrahim says. “We’re taking an important step with Guided Learning as a new way to bring Gemini to students in a more learning-appropriate environment [but] there’s still a lot of work to do.”
While most of Guided Learning’s output is text-based, some prompts (like “What’s the structure of a cell?”) generate responses that include verified and licensed illustrations. The tool may also suggest relevant YouTube videos featuring knowledgeable educators explaining the concept in engaging ways.
Students can upload class notes or syllabi to Gemini, allowing the tool to tailor interactions based on what is being studied. Messer explains that this helps the tool anticipate likely questions and generate customized quizzes or study guides from the notes.
To use the tool Google AI subscribers can choose it from a row of option buttons at the bottom of the Gemini chat window. Guided Learning is rolling out globally on desktop and mobile devices to all Gemini users (with both free and paid accounts).
Google’s $1 billion AI education initiative for college students
The launch of Guided Learning is part of a broader education-focused AI initiative announced by Google on August 6. The company is committing $1 billion over three years to AI education and training efforts in the U.S.
College students ages 18 and older in the U.S., Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and Brazil will receive free 12-month access to the Google AI Pro plan. This includes expanded access to the Gemini 2.5 Pro model, Deep Research, NotebookLM, Veo 3 video creation tools, and the Jules coding assistant.
The Google AI for Education Accelerator will provide free AI training, Google Career Certificates, and advanced AI tools to college students nationwide. Google says more than 100 universities representing millions of students have already enrolled in the program.
Connectez-vous pour ajouter un commentaire
Autres messages de ce groupe
WhatsApp has taken down 6.8 million accounts that were “linked to criminal scam centers” target
For more than a decade, enterprise teams bought into the promise of business intelligence platforms delivering “decision-making at the speed of thought.” But most discovered the opposite: slow-mov
President Donald Trump on Wednesday is expected to celebrate at the White House a commitment by
Character.AI is going social, adding an interactive feed to its mobile apps.
Rolled out on Monday, the new social feed may initially look similar
Vision boards are now getting the AI treatment.
From Lucky G
Cyberattacks are on the rise, and artificial intelligence is making it
