(Co-presenter) Schools are eager to explore AI-powered assistants, but safe implementation requires more than turning on a new feature. In this interactive session, attendees will watch a custom AI assistant be built live in Google Workspace for Education using Gemini and custom Gems. As the assistant takes shape, we will examine the privacy, security, governance, and compliance decisions schools should address before allowing AI to interact with tools such as Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar, and Chat. Google supports custom Gems for qualifying work and school accounts, and admins can control whether Gemini can connect to Google apps and whether Gemini features are enabled in Workspace services. Participants will engage in real-world scenarios and guided discussions focused on student data protection, staff use, acceptable use boundaries, and rollout decisions in a K-12 environment. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for introducing AI more safely in schools and a clearer understanding of the guardrails available in Google Workspace for Education. Google states that, for school accounts using Gemini Apps, chats and uploaded files are not reviewed by human reviewers and are not used to improve generative AI models, which makes this an especially relevant environment for school leaders evaluating AI use.

Presenting with Sage Oaks Charter Schools at CITE Annual Conference 2026, Anaheim, CA. For directors, principals, teachers, and support staff. 1-hour interactive workshop session.