Google’s Vision of a Personal Tutor for Every Student: Dave Messer on Guided Learning

Sep 23, 2025

Dave Messer, Product Manager on Google's Learning & Education team, shares insights from his transition from classroom teacher to tech innovator. He discusses Google's ambitious vision for AI, aiming to provide a personal tutor for every student. Multimodal learning is highlighted, showcasing how visuals and media enhance comprehension. Messer also emphasizes the importance of student feedback in shaping Guided Learning, balancing personalization with privacy concerns, and the role of learning science in creating effective educational tools.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Personal Tutor For Every Student

Google aims to provide a personal tutor for every student and a TA for every teacher using AI.
Dave Messer says AI now makes that vision more achievable than ever.

INSIGHT

Multimodal Content Speeds Comprehension

Guided Learning uses multimodal content to accelerate learners' 'aha' moments and reduce unhelpful friction.
Messer highlights visuals and videos as key to making abstract concepts click faster.

ANECDOTE

Walk-Tested Learning Example

Dave Messer tried Guided Learning on a walk and learned how insects breathe using diagrams and interactive conversation.
He says the multimodal experience helped the concept stick more than text alone.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Send us a text

Dave Messer is a Product Manager on Google's Learning & Education team, leads product for emerging learning initiatives, including Learning Labs and Gemini. A former teacher with masters degrees in software engineering and education, he works with experts and the education community to build products that target real-world challenges for educators and students.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Google’s vision for AI in education
How multimodal learning makes concepts stick
Why student feedback shaped Guided Learning’s design
The role of learning science in AI models
How Google balances personalization, privacy, and classroom impact

✨ Episode Highlights:
[00:01:24] Dave Messer’s journey from classroom teacher to Google PM
[00:02:31] Google’s vision: a personal tutor for every student, a TA for every teacher
[00:05:27] Multimodal learning in Guided Learning—diagrams, visuals, and YouTube videos
[00:14:16] Inside LearnLM, Google’s AI model infused with pedagogy
[00:19:33] Psychological safety and student agency in AI-driven learning
[00:23:15] Student feedback that inspired Guided Learning’s design
[00:27:13] How learning science principles like active learning and metacognition guide product design
[00:35:18] Personalization, data privacy, and the classroom of the future
[00:38:32] Educator concerns, student creativity, and the responsible use of AI

😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders!

Follow our Podcast on:
Sign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.
Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!

🎉 Presenting Sponsor/s:

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 30 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.

Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com.

Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.