Google’s Gemini AI plan for schools promises extra data protection and privacy

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Google is also improving Chromebook accessibility with features like a better magnifier that follows along as you read.

By Umar Shakir, a news writer fond of the electric vehicle lifestyle and things that plug in via USB-C. He spent over 15 years in IT support before joining The Verge.

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Vector illustration of the Google Gemini logo.

Illustration: The Verge

Google will soon offer schools access to Gemini AI — specifically for educators and students over the age of 18 — and promises not to use their data for AI model training or share it with anyone.

Google will include the extra Gemini data privacy protections on Workspace for Education accounts at no additional charge. However, it does mean relying on the older Gemini 1.0 Pro model instead of newer, more updated models like Gemini 1.5 Pro or Flash, which is designed to provide more accurate answers.

Gemini for Google Workspace launches on May 23rd and will come in two packages for institutions. The first is the lower-cost Gemini Education, which has a monthly usage limit, and the second tier is Education Premium, which opens full access to Workspace AI tools and has additional features like AI notes / summaries for Google Meet as well as data loss prevention.

Animated image of “Select to speak” in action, with the screen magnifier following words as they’re read aloud.

Animated image of “Select to speak” in action, with the screen magnifier following words as they’re read aloud.
Image: Google

Chromebooks, which are big sellers in education, are also getting new accessibility features that can help people with blindness or low vision. In the next few months, the Screen magnifier on Chromebooks will gain the ability to follow along with the words as you read things out loud when used in combination with Select to Speak. You can, additionally, make the cursor bigger and turn off the blinking text indicator.

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