OpenStax, the world's largest nonprofit open educational resources (OER) publisher based at Rice University, announced a partnership with Google to expand access to relevant and trusted educational content. Through this partnership, the OpenStax library of over 70 openly licensed, peer-reviewed textbooks will be discoverable, searchable, and accessible within Google Gemini. These materials will be available to Gemini users aged 18 and over in the United States starting in August 2024.
Gemini uses Google's generative artificial intelligence (AI) models to give users safe and secure access to chat. Gemini can be used as a collaborative thinking partner, helping students and educators gain fresh ideas while empowering learners at all levels with customized learning tools and guidance. To enable OpenStax within Gemini, users can type questions such as “Does @OpenStax explain the concept of demand and supply?” to access accurate answers based on OpenStax content.
This integration aligns with OpenStax's commitment to democratize knowledge by freely sharing high-quality OER for impactful learning experiences for students and educators. As AI becomes increasingly integral to digital learning environments, OpenStax sees accuracy, attribution, accessibility, and upholding academic integrity as key driving principles behind the technology.
“OpenStax and Google share a unified and responsible vision for the use of AI in education,” said Richard Baraniuk, founder and director of OpenStax. “We believe the content delivered through AI learning tools should be accurate and comprehensive. Our integration with Gemini embodies these principles and provides another way for learners and educators to access our high-quality content through a trusted technology partner.”
“Learning is one of the most popular ways people use Gemini, which is why we're excited to partner with the world's most trusted publisher of high-quality, open educational content,” said Jack Krawczyk, senior director of product management at Gemini Experiences. “We look forward to expanding the support we provide to students and educators. By building high-quality, rich, and specific content, Gemini is able to create engaging learning experiences that spark curiosity, encourage critical thinking, and help more students learn effectively.”
All OpenStax resources will continue to be available online, in their entirety, for free and in a variety of formats at OpenStax.org. Affordable textbooks will still be available for those who prefer a printed version of their study materials.