Irina Jurenka, Research Lead at Google DeepMind, and Muktha Ananda, Engineering Leader in Learning and Education at Google, share their insights on developing LearnLM, a large language model tailored for education. They delve into the intricacies of fine-tuning AI to enhance pedagogical effectiveness, explaining how they measure learner outcomes and the challenges of creating an engaging AI tutor. The conversation highlights the delicate balance between emotional engagement and learning efficiency, showcasing a multidisciplinary approach to innovation in educational technology.

Irina Jurenka, a research lead at Google DeepMind with a focus on AI in education, dives into the transformative role of AI in the classroom. She discusses the balance between AI and human interaction in teaching, advocating for personalized AI tutors without replacing human educators. The conversation touches on enhancing education with technology, the journey from coding to AI, and the challenges of instilling critical thinking in AI systems. Jurenka emphasizes the importance of empathy in AI's interactions and the need for collaboration in developing educational tools.