Basingstoke University of Technology (BCoT) welcomed Ben Gomes, Google’s Principal Engineer for Learning and Sustainability, and his team to see how the university is incorporating AI into the classroom.
Insights gleaned during the visit will help Google develop future products for the global education sector.
BCoT is one of the UK’s leading EdTech institutions, integrating digital tools and AI into everyday teaching to improve student experiences and staff wellbeing. Committed to the ethical application of AI, the university uses tools to strengthen equity and accessibility, empower neurodiverse learners to find their voices, and build professional confidence for ESOL students. Additionally, teachers can use AI as a collaborative “sparring partner” to shape feedback and lesson ideas, offloading administrative tasks and allowing them to focus on direct human-to-human instruction.
During their visit, Ben and his team spent a day with students from a variety of courses including engineering, health and social care, and animal management, hearing first-hand how digital technology and AI, including Google tools such as Gemini, are being employed in learning. The Google team also discussed the practical challenges and benefits of implementation with teachers, some of whom are skeptical about using AI. The day concluded with a roundtable discussion and meeting with BCoT senior leaders to discuss the ethical use of AI in education.
Scott Hayden, Head of Digital Learning at BCoT, said:
“We are proud to welcome Ben and the Google team. This was a valuable opportunity for our learners to demonstrate how they use tools like Gemini and NotebookLM not as shortcuts, but as active sparring partners that support their own unique voice and professional growth.
“While AI can accelerate access to information, it cannot simulate the human desire to learn. We integrate these technologies with intentional friction so that, along with our great staff, they serve as guided frameworks for deeper thinking, supporting rather than replacing critical thinking. Meaningful in-person instruction and professional judgment by educators remains the non-negotiable backbone of our practice.”
Growing up with a homeschooling mother, Ben Gomes developed a lifelong curiosity that later fueled his 21-year career building Google Search. Now, as chief technologist for learning and sustainability at Google, he applies that same curiosity to the future of education. Ben’s work is deeply product-focused, building AI tools that truly power learning. For Ben, that requires getting out of his office and into classrooms, visiting schools not to sell his product, but to hear feedback and see first-hand how students are interacting with AI.
Ben said:
“When it comes to education (particularly vocational education), technology must be a balanced approach between human and digital skills. Student loss of concentration is widespread throughout society, but schools and universities can be a place to reteach this ability. Students need to rebuild their attention spans, and BCoT intentionally scaffolds the classroom to support their growth.”
