Google Launches Interactive AI Study Tools in Search and Gemini to Challenge OpenAI

Google on Wednesday launched a suite of AI-powered study tools across Search and Gemini, introducing interactive visual simulations, custom practice quizzes, multi-step research reports, and a dedicated student hub within the Gemini app.

The launch of the new study features marks Google’s latest effort to make Gemini the AI assistant that students turn to when learning and studying, as it competes with companies like OpenAI and education startups such as Knowt and Gauth, which are also offering their own learning and practice tools.

On Search, students can generate custom tools and simulations to visualize complex topics. Searching for “pH scale” produces an interactive visual within an AI Overview, while follow-up questions—such as plotting citrus fruits on the scale—prompt AI Mode in Search to construct a customized interactive experience tailored to the query.

Search also supports custom practice quizzes across subjects including science, math, humanities, and foreign languages. Entering a prompt like “Create a quiz with the most commonly tested vocabulary words to help me prep for the SAT” prompts Search to generate an interactive test directly in the results page.

In the coming weeks, Google will roll out an interactive learning experience in Lens. Students can tap the “Lens” camera icon in the Google app and upload a photo of their work, allowing the AI to explain concepts, point out potential mistakes, and offer step-by-step guidance.

Search can also construct study documents based on uploaded files, including PDFs, Google Docs, lecture slides, and handwritten notes, converting raw study materials into single-page outlines of key concepts.

Within Gemini, Google added a background research capability to Gemini Live that allows students to initiate multi-step research reports. Users can instruct Gemini to research a topic and perform other tasks while the assistant runs in the background. Once notified that the report is complete, students can review and discuss the findings conversationally using voice controls.

The tech giant also announced that Gemini can now generate functional 3D simulations to help users better understand topics, as responses will now include tables, grids, and simulations made specially for the prompt. For example, if you enter a prompt like, “show me how DNA works in 3D,” you’ll be able to interactively rotate and zoom into a 3D DNA structure.

To centralize these features, Google launched a dedicated hub in the Gemini app that brings its learning tools together in one place, enabling users to create study notebooks, build flashcards, and take practice quizzes from a unified interface.

These educational tools are built upon Google’s LearnLM model family, a specialized set of generative AI models fine-tuned specifically for educational instruction and pedagogical grounding.

The expansion comes as primary competitor OpenAI expands its own higher-education footprint through ChatGPT Edu, an enterprise offering built specifically for universities that includes administrative controls, academic data protections, and direct access to flagship models.