- Google expands Gemini AI access to students under 18, but with safeguards
- Includes AI literacy tools, fact-checking, and stricter content moderation
- It nevertheless raises new questions about AI’s long-term role in global education systems
When calculators first entered classrooms, many worried they would weaken students’ math skills. The arrival of the internet and smartphones, brought similar fears about plagiarism and distraction – and now, AI tools are taking their turn in the spotlight.
With the rollout of Google’s Gemini app to all Google Workspace for Education users, including students under 18, those old concerns are resurfacing in a new form.
Gemini promises to assist with everything from lesson planning to real-time feedback, but its expansion also raises tough questions about AI’s long-term role in education and how it may reshape learning itself.
Stricter content policies
Google says the goal is to support creativity, learning, and responsible AI use, as Gemini includes LearnLM, a family of AI models tuned for education and developed with input from teaching experts.
These models are built to handle tasks like helping students brainstorm ideas, check their understanding, or generate practice materials.
For students under 18, Gemini has stricter content policies and AI literacy tools endorsed by groups like ConnectSafely and the Family Online Safety Institute.
First-time users are guided through onboarding content that explains how to use AI responsibly.
To reduce the risk of misinformation, Gemini includes a fact-checking feature. When a student asks a fact-based question, the tool runs a double-check response using Google Search.
This happens automatically the first time and can be triggered later by the student if needed.
Privacy and security have been stressed by Google in the rollout, saying Gemini for Education follows the same data protection terms as the rest of Workspace for Education.
In a nutshell, that means student data is not used to train AI models or reviewed by humans.
The app is also aligned with education and privacy regulations like FERPA, COPPA, HIPAA, and FedRAMP.
That said, some educators and parents remain unsure how AI will affect student engagement and thinking, and is something we’ve covered a lot previously.
Google Gemini may save time and boost productivity, but big questions remain about whether students could come to rely on it too heavily or whether it might shift how learning is assessed.
Leave a comment