Inside the Google AI for Learning Forum: How Google Is Building the Future of Learning

Nov 27, 2025

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Maureen Heymans

Guest

In this intriguing discussion, Shantanu Sinha, VP at Google for Education, shares how educators gain control over AI tools. Tal Oppenheimer reveals Google's strategy for personalized learning experiences across various platforms. Julia Wilkowski explains the importance of applying learning science principles, while Maureen Heymans discusses making education more engaging through AI. Together, they explore new AI capabilities in classrooms, discussing effective feedback loops and the blend of innovative content creation that enhances both teaching and learning.

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INSIGHT

Accuracy And Multimodal Are Game Changers

Model accuracy and reasoning have improved, reducing hallucinations and raising trust for education use.
Multimodal advances (video, voice) open new classroom experiences when fast and cheap to run.

ADVICE

Ship Capabilities Then Integrate Broadly

Build strong model capabilities first, then surface them across products like Classroom and NotebookLM.
Use Labs to experiment and upstream successful features into core models and multiple surfaces.

INSIGHT

Measure Learning, Not Just Answers

Evaluate models both on response quality and on effectiveness at teaching concepts.
Design eval sets specific to learning journeys (homework vs open-ended study) to measure real impact.

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This special on-site episode of Edtech Insiders was recorded live at the Google AI for Learning Forum in London on November 14, 2024, where we sat down with leaders shaping Google’s next generation of learning tools, including Shantanu Sinha, VP of Google for Education, Tal Oppenheimer, Product Management Director, Google Labs & Learning, Julia Wilkowski, Pedagogy & Learning Sciences Team Lead, Google, and Maureen Heymans, VP & GM, Learning, Google. Together, they share how Google is designing AI-powered tools grounded in learning science and built to scale across classrooms worldwide.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

How Google is embedding AI into Classroom and Gemini.
How Learn LM’s pedagogy powers Google’s core models.
How tools like NotebookLM and Learn Your Way personalize learning.
How Google measures learning effectiveness.
What’s next for AI in education.

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:01:36] Shantanu Sinha on putting educators in control of AI
[00:02:32] Gemini’s role inside Classroom
[00:06:53] The next wave of reasoning and multimodal AI
[00:09:36] Teachers creating simulations and learning artifacts
[00:14:42] Tal Oppenheimer on personalized textbooks in Learn Your Way
[00:17:29] Building learning features across Google surfaces
[00:35:03] Julia Wilkowski on Google’s five learning science principles
[00:41:43] Multimodal learning and educational video generation
[00:52:03] Maureen Heymans on using AI to enhance video-based learning

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