Google has announced that its Gemini artificial intelligence is available to more teenagers globally in its latest update, with support for more than 40 languages. Parents needn"t worry too much as Gemini has been equipped with additional policies and safeguards.
In addition to the safeguards, teenagers will go through a "specific onboarding process" to help them use Gemini appropriately and there"s also an AI literacy guide for them to look at.
Commenting on the expansion, Google said:
"Gemini is designed to be a helpful tool for teenagers. It can spark creativity and encourage them to explore their passions. From understanding school subjects to tackling major milestones like preparing for university, Gemini is here to help teenagers learn and grow."
When Google says that teens can now use Gemini, it generally means that anyone 13 and above can use it, but there are some exceptions. It would be tedious to list all of the exceptions as there are so many, but generally teens must be 14+, 15+, or 16+ in these exceptional countries. The list includes most EU states, South Korea and Vietnam, a handful of Caribbean countries, and some Latin American countries.
In terms of guardrails, Gemini is already pretty strict, even for adults. Given the sensitivity of election interference, Google has a blanket ban on questions about current politics and while it responds, it"s also pretty cautious on legal and medical matters too - but this is probably for good reason.
While there has been a lot of concern for AI"s ability to help kids cheat on their school work, tools like Gemini can also be incredibly useful for learning. For example, if you are using Gemini to learn a new concept and you still don"t understand you can ask a follow-up question or an ELI5 explanation so that you can better understand.