A recent Ipsos survey has revealed a milestone moment for artificial intelligence: for the first time globally, learning is the number one reason people turn to AI. The trend is especially pronounced in India, which now leads the world in daily Gemini usage for learning. According to Google, this shift reflects both growing confidence in AI as an educational aid and rising expectations around its role in improving outcomes.
Around 74 percent of Indians believe AI can improve student performance, Google said, but the company also acknowledged the responsibility that comes with such adoption. Its latest education-focused announcements are framed around using AI as a supportive, responsible companion rather than a shortcut for answers.
Scaling impact through partnerships and funding
At the centre of Google’s new push is an Rs 85 crore Google.org grant to Wadhwani AI. The funding is aimed at scaling adaptive learning systems to reach 75 million students, 1.8 million educators, and 1 million early-career professionals by December 2027, spanning early childhood education to higher studies.
Google is also deepening its engagement with teachers through a nationwide initiative focused on educator training and support. Separately, it is working with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, to help build India’s first AI-enabled state university. The collaboration also includes plans for a national framework to modernise vocational education using cloud and AI technologies.
New AI tools for students and educators
On the product side, Google is expanding AI-powered learning tools across Gemini, Search, and Classroom. Students preparing for competitive exams will soon get access to full-length JEE Main practice tests inside Gemini, built using vetted content from PhysicsWallah and Careers360. These tests are also expected to surface in AI Mode in Search.
AI Mode in Search is gaining new features that let students build study guides and interactive quizzes using Canvas, a side panel designed to help create and refine documents and plans. For educators, Google is integrating Gemini more deeply into Google Classroom, adding native audio and video feedback, AI usage insights, and new automation tools through Google Workspace Studio.
Google is also rolling out tools that help the education community verify whether content was created or edited using Google AI, addressing concerns around originality and misuse.
Blending teaching with learning science
Google says its education strategy is guided by a focus on combining the human side of teaching with the science of how people learn. Features like Guided Learning in the Gemini app are designed to act more like a personal tutor, encouraging students to work through concepts rather than simply generating answers.
That approach has been tested in classrooms. In a recent randomised control study with City Montessori School in Lucknow and Fab AI, Google DeepMind worked with teachers to integrate Guided Learning into maths lessons for Grade 8 and 9 students. Early findings suggest that in nearly three out of four AI interactions, students were trying to deepen their understanding instead of seeking instant solutions.
Making AI learning accessible in India
India is already one of Google’s largest global communities of AI-powered learners. The company says Indian users are among the most active on NotebookLM, generating over 3 million outputs such as quizzes, flashcards, and audio or video overviews in just the past month. Teachers are also increasingly using Google Classroom to save time on lesson planning and administrative work.
To broaden access, Google says Gemini, NotebookLM, AI Mode in Search, and Google Classroom are available in multiple Indian languages. The company says it plans to continue working closely with India’s education ecosystem to scale these tools responsibly and support learners at every level.
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