Over eight weeks, Google DeepMind evaluated how Guided Learning in Gemini affected the math progress of 1,763 junior secondary students across 12 schools in Port Loko District of Sierra Leone, in a randomized controlled trial conducted in partnership with Fab AI and with the support of the Sierra Leone Ministry of Education. Students using Guided Learning saw a gain of +0.258 standard deviations in their math scores compared to the control group, which DeepMind describes as roughly 1.2 to 1.7 years of typical learning progress within the eight-week trial. Students in classrooms where teachers incorporated Gemini into roughly half their lessons to meet a target of 12 hours saw even higher gains, roughly 1.8 to 2.5 years of progress. 69% of students met or exceeded usage targets, against the five percent typical for voluntary educational technology.
The post, written by Zoubin Ghahramani, says: "The results from this pre-registered trial suggest that AI can be a powerful pedagogical partner — not by replacing teachers, but by augmenting their reach." DeepMind notes a common concern that generative AI could become a shortcut for students, and says Guided Learning is built from years of research and work in its LearnLM efforts and tuned to prioritize building understanding over providing direct answers.
In an analysis of over 113,000 interactions during the trial, students used the tool to build conceptual understanding in 91.4% of conversations. Gemini responded by posing scaffolding questions in 76% of its messages and provided direct solutions in only 2% of cases. Skill-building queries rose to 90% by the final week, up from 68% in the first week, while solution-seeking questions dropped from 25% to 10%.
Educators designed the lessons, set the objectives, and facilitated classroom discussions. In focus groups, teachers reported that Gemini supported their own professional growth through lesson preparation, and many described a shift from "lecturers" to "facilitators". Most students benefited, but those who entered the trial with stronger math skills benefited most.
DeepMind is releasing a teacher training guide with materials created in collaboration with Fab AI, including the protocols used for the study, and a playbook on its approach to RCTs. It is conducting additional pre-registered RCTs globally and plans to expand the trials to other countries and probe areas like metacognition and relational intelligence. It also supports the Global AI for Learning Alliance (GAILA). Google.org and the Gates Foundation supported the trial, and EducAid, Laterite and Oxford MeasurEd collaborated.