Study mode: Google brings AI learning aid to Gemini

"An intelligent learning partner at your side" – is how Google describes the new AI learning aid in Gemini. It is designed to help pupils and students better understand their learning material. The AI chatbot also immediately tests what they have learned.

If the learning mode is used, there is not just a ready-made answer to a question. Gemini is designed to guide the user through a topic so that connections become easier to understand. Learners can also delve deeper into certain areas of a topic at various points and ask follow-up questions. Gemini is fundamentally multimodal and also makes use of this in the new mode; it can therefore display text, images, and diagrams. It can also use excerpts from YouTube videos to answer questions.

The chatbot can also be used to summarize your own notes and documents. It is questionable how it should be legally assessed when learners start uploading pages from books or lecture notes. Gemini can create quizzes from all the documents given to it to test knowledge. Structured learning plans are also possible. Google emphasizes the importance of active learning. The company worked closely with teachers and educators to develop the AI tutor.

However, the learning aid is also intended to be a sparring partner for homework and other tasks – someone with whom brainstorming is possible or who provides an assessment. This is also the view of provider OpenAI, which has also developed a study mode for ChatGPT. This can be found in the model selection and has a similar scope to that of Gemini. While ChatGPT is not yet able to access the memory, i.e., it does not learn from previous chats and store information, Gemini can access the user's entire history and other data if required.

Deep Research, Veo, Jules as a learning aid

Deep Research is also integrated into the mode, which means that users can submit a research query on a topic and Gemini will roam the web and collect all the information. Of course, even the learning mode is not completely immune to hallucinations. Users should therefore also look at the sources and check answers if necessary. Google assures that very little false information is passed on in this mode, but it cannot be ruled out. Google speaks of responsible use. The responsibility cannot be transferred to an AI.

Other ways of using AI for learning are NotebookLM. The AI assistant can provide information from various sources, including notes, as an audio or video summary. With Veo 3, Google's video generator, texts can be turned into videos lasting up to eight seconds. Google writes on the blog post that such a start in a presentation immediately ensures the attention of fellow students. Jules is a programming assistant and is also part of the learning aid.

Students and trainees aged 18 and over can register for a free 12-month subscription to Google AI Pro. The offer is available until November 3, 2025. The Pro subscription normally costs 220 euros.

(emw)