Google commits $1 billion for AI training at US universities
He declined to specify how much Google is earmarking in direct funds to external institutions relative to footing its own cloud and subscription bills. The announcement comes as rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic and Amazon have made similar pushes around AI in education as the technology pervades society. Microsoft in July pledged $4 billion to bolster AI in education globally.
By evangelising their products to students, tech firms further stand to win business deals once those users enter the workforce.
A growing body of research has mapped concerns around AI's role in education, from enabling cheating to eroding critical thinking, prompting some schools to consider bans. Manyika said Google had not faced resistance from administrators since it began to plot its education initiative earlier this year, but "many more questions" about AI-related concerns remain.
"We're hoping to learn together with these institutions about how best to use these tools," he said, adding that the insights could help shape future product decisions.
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