How Google’s LearnLM plans to supercharge education for students and teachers

A large screen at the 2024 Google I/O Developer's Conference reads

At Google’s annual I/O Developer’s Conference, the company went all-in on AI, including addressing how it plans to apply the power of artificial intelligence to improve education and learning. “What if everyone everywhere could have their own personal AI tutor on any topic,” Google SVP James Manyika asked the conference’s keynote audience. “Or what if every educator could have their own assistant in the classroom?”

The answer is LearnLM, a family of language models grounded in educational research and made with educators in mind. Here are three ways the model might deliver more “personalized learning experiences” for students and teachers alike.

A new ‘Learning Coach’ assistant

Earlier in the morning, Google announced that users would be able to create their own customized AI assistant called a “gem.” With their introduction of LearnLM, the company added that pre-made gems especially made for learning would be rolled out in the future. One of these, a “Learning Coach” gem, will provide step-by-step study guidance,” and “practice techniques designed to build understanding, rather than just give you the answer.” One example provided during the presentation was a Learning Coach gem generating an mnemonic to help a hypothetical student better remember the formula for photosynthesis.

A user asks LearnLM the question "can you help me understand the photosynthesis equation?"

Asked.
Credit: Google

LearnLM provides the acronym "Cows Eat Wet Grass Outside" where C is for carbon dioxide, E is for energy from sunlight, W is for water, G is glucose, O is oxygen

Answered (sort of) by LearnLM.
Credit: Google

Interactive learning on YouTube

On YouTube, a LearnLM assistant will respond to viewer questions under educational videos or generate a quiz for the viewer based on the video’s information. This feature is already available to select Android users as Google partners with Columbia Teachers College, Arizona State University, and Khan Academy to test and improve its performance. No word on when this YouTube-specific learning assistant will be available to the more than 2 billion people around the world who use the platform every month.

AI tools for educators

Google also noted it’s working directly with educators to apply LearnLM’s efficiencies to Google Classroom, where teachers will eventually be able to simplify and improve lesson planning, or tailor lessons to the individual needs of their students. Google is also collaborating with MIT’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education Initiative (RAISE) to develop an online course for educators that will help them better understand and leverage generative AI in the classroom.