In a move to reshape how students use artificial intelligence in education, Google has unveiled a new "Guided Learning" mode within its Gemini AI platform. Unlike traditional AI tools that simply provide answers, this feature is designed to serve as a learning companion, encouraging students to deeply understand the material they're studying.

According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Guided Learning aims to walk students through problems by offering “questions and step-by-step support.” Pichai elaborated on the launch in a blog post, emphasizing that the tool is structured not just to deliver solutions but to foster comprehension.

The new mode blends AI assistance with educational psychology, integrating a variety of content formats to enhance the learning experience. Answers may come with supportive visuals, videos, and interactive quizzes, making the process more dynamic and less reliant on rote memorization.

To develop the feature, Google collaborated with educators, students, learning researchers, and cognitive science experts. The result is a system Pichai describes as “helpful for understanding new concepts and is backed by learning science.”

This initiative comes at a time when AI companies are increasingly venturing into the education sector — not only to expand their services but also to combat growing concerns that AI tools are making it too easy for students to cheat. By focusing on learning rather than shortcuts, tools like Gemini’s Guided Learning and ChatGPT’s recently launched study mode are being positioned as legitimate educational aids.

Despite these efforts, one lingering question remains: will students actually embrace these guided study features, or will they continue to seek out quick solutions? While the technology offers promise, its success may depend on how effectively it can motivate learners to engage with the content rather than simply extract answers.

As part of the rollout, Google is offering a compelling incentive. Students aged 18 and above in select countries — including the United States, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and Brazil — can sign up for a free 12-month subscription to its AI Pro Plan. This offer is available through October 6 and is expected to give students an opportunity to explore AI-driven learning without any initial cost barrier.

In addition to the Guided Learning feature, Google is making a broader commitment to the future of education. The company has pledged a $1 billion investment over the next three years to support American education initiatives. These include programs focused on AI literacy, research funding, and expanded access to cloud computing tools in academic environments.

With this dual-pronged approach — enhancing AI's educational role and increasing accessibility — Google is signaling a clear intent: it wants AI to be part of how students learn, not how they avoid learning. Whether the shift from answer-giving to understanding takes root will depend not only on the technology’s capabilities but also on how educators and learners choose to engage with it.