Creating a research companion on campus

Universities around the world are exploring how AI can enhance teaching, learning and research. Delivering a keynote at the 2025 THE Digital Universities UK event, Anna Artemyeva, head of education at Google, spoke about how innovative AI tools can be an ally in promoting academic innovation and research. Artemyeva discussed Google’s AI-powered tools and assistants, which can be easily integrated with existing systems on campus. 

One such tool is the Gem Learning Coach, based on Google’s AI platform, Gemini. Artemyeva demonstrated how it could help a non-specialist learn about advanced topics. “Think of this as your 24/7 tutor,” she explained. “You click on it, ask it to explain the concept and it will offer you a learning plan that you can adjust and make simpler or more difficult depending on your knowledge. It can explain key concepts, offer fun facts and create a learning activity.”

This learning coach is built on the LearnLM AI model, which is a new family of AI models specifically built for learning and grounded in educational research. It empowers educators to personalise learning and make learning more interactive and engaging. “We partnered with pedagogy experts, educators and universities to gain a deep understanding of how people learn best,” Artemyeva said. Five core learning science principles are integrated into the model: inspiring active learning to suggest learning activities; managing cognitive load to make information digestible and well-structured; deeper metacognition to reflect on the learning process; stimulating curiosity and adapting for learners. The model has now been integrated into widely used Google products such as YouTube, Search and Google Classroom. 

Similarly, NotebookLM can be a game-changer for researchers and anyone exploring this complex field. “This can be your intelligent research assistant,” said Artemyeva. Users can upload documents – research papers, reports or anything relevant to their project – and NotebookLM transforms them into a personalised knowledge base. In addition to research, it can also be used for understanding grant requirements and creating grant applications. 

For example, educators can upload source materials to create an executive summary. Students and staff can interact with this personalised database by asking questions in natural language form and chat with the tool as though with a human assistant. It can produce content such as podcasts, a timeline of breakthroughs in a field and a mind map to visualise the content.

In the contemporary landscape dominated by AI, the reliability of information is paramount, particularly within the context of academic research. Gemini has been developed with a core principle of trustworthiness to address this critical need. Its Deep Research feature is designed to provide users with answers and knowledge that can be readily verified. 

Artemyeva reassured the audience that data privacy was preserved across Google’s suite of tools. “Your data will not be training our AI models. It will not be viewed by humans and will stay securely with you. This is important when it comes to sensitive research,” she said. The Google for Education full-stack delivers value by combining powerful collaboration tools, actionable analytics and a secure foundation. It provides data-driven insights to optimise technology investments and demonstrate educational impact, while helping universities ensure a secure, scalable and compliant infrastructure that protects institutional data and mitigates risk.

Find out more about Google for Education.