Rice Partnering with Google on Broad AI Initiative

• By Rhea Kelly
• 09/30/25

Through a new partnership with Google for Education, Rice University is expanding access to generative AI tools for all faculty, staff and students. The initiative is part of a broad effort to "harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in teaching, research, and operations" and position Rice as "a global leader in the responsible development and application of AI, computing, and other disruptive technologies," according to a university news release.

All faculty and staff now have access to Google Gemini and NotebookLM via their institutional credentials, so that all interactions with the AI tools will be managed within Rice's secure Google Workspace for Education domain. Gen AI conversations will not be used to train models, and Rice will retain administrative control over the data.

The university said it aims to utilize AI to "personalize learning, spark creativity, and streamline teaching by helping students brainstorm and problem-solve while giving educators tools to plan lessons, adapt materials and save time," noting that the rollout "will be paired with a strong digital citizenship and AI fluency curriculum to ensure responsible and effective use."

In a Sept. 10 event, representatives from Google for Education visited Rice to provide training on how Gemini and NotebookLM can help boost creativity and productivity. Students were able to participate in Gemini Academy, hands-on training led by Google product experts, as well as a six-hour pop-up offering interactive product demos. Faculty members received a lunch-and-learn session focused on the use of AI to enhance teaching.

"We're excited to see how these tools will support the collective work of the campus community and how they might inspire new ways to collaborate and innovate," said Kelly Fox, executive vice president for operations, finance, and support at Rice, in a statement. "This initiative reflects Rice's commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology to empower our campus with advanced AI capabilities across teaching, research and administrative work."

"This partnership with Google marks an exciting step forward in Rice's commitment to responsible AI," commented Raza Dawood, associate vice president for transformational technology and innovation at Rice. "It's been inspiring to see the strong interest and enthusiasm from our students and faculty, who are eager to explore how new technology can enrich learning, fuel discovery and shape the future."

"Google for Education is proud to partner with Rice University on this important expansion of learning tools to students and teachers," said Steven Butschi, director of Google for Education North America sales. "This collaboration is a testament to our shared belief that generative AI, when implemented responsibly, can be a powerful tool for enhancing creativity, personalizing learning and preparing students for the future. We're excited to see how Gemini will support Rice's mission and inspire a new generation of innovators."

Other AI initiatives in the works at Rice include:

• AI exploration and course development grants for faculty;
• Faculty learning communities focused on AI applications for different disciplines;
• Responsible AI courses available to the public via Coursera, the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, and other platforms; and
• The creation of an assistant director for AI and education position, who will "lead innovation pilots and foster a campus-wide culture of AI experimentation."

For more information, visit the Rice University AI Hub.