USD Adopts Google AI Products for Campus Use
The University of San Diego has announced the immediate adoption of Google's artificial intelligence products as the institution's preferred AI toolkit, citing enhanced security and seamless integration with existing Google Workspace applications.
The new recommendation makes Google AI tools available at no additional cost to all USD students, faculty and staff through the university's existing Google license agreement, emphasizing that these tools comply with both FERPA and GDPR regulations and making them the only AI platforms approved for use with institutional data.
Key AI Tools Now Available
Gemini, Google's flagship AI assistant, is now accessible to the entire USD community. The platform offers capabilities comparable to premium versions of other AI tools, including brainstorming support, guided learning, content refinement, research assistance and image/video generation. Users can also interact with their USD email, calendar and Google Drive documents directly through the platform. Gemini is available through a web browser and mobile applications for both iOS and Android devices.
NotebookLM serves as an AI-powered research assistant designed to help users extract insights from uploaded source materials. The tool can summarize information, identify connections between topics and convert written sources into audio and video discussions for mobile learning. Like Gemini, NotebookLM is accessible via a web browser and mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.
Usage Guidelines and Security Considerations
While USD's adoption of Google AI tools doesn't prohibit the use of other AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude or Perplexity, the university stresses important security distinctions. Non-Google AI products are not considered secure or protected under USD's data policies, meaning users should never share sensitive, private, confidential or institutional information with these alternative platforms.
The university has established specific training resources through its AI Training @ USD program, which provides both general and university-specific educational materials for users learning to navigate these new tools.
Looking Forward
Given the rapid evolution of AI technology, USD expects these recommendations to evolve over time. The university encourages community members to stay informed via the AI@USD website which will provide updates to AI policies and available tools.
For questions or additional information about the new AI policy, users can contact ldcsupport@sandiego.edu for technical support and guidance on proper usage of these newly available tools.