Google Unveils 15 New Chromebooks for 2024, AI Upgrades for Education
Google has revealed its plans to launch 15 new Chromebook laptop models throughout 2024, accompanied by artificial intelligence (AI) upgrades to its Workspace for Education software suite. These initiatives aim to equip students and teachers with advanced tools for both in-person and remote learning.
Out of the 15 upcoming Chromebooks, six are specially designed for teachers, administrators, and older students who handle demanding workloads. The remaining nine models are geared towards flexible learning, enabling students to seamlessly transition between school and home. Google has emphasized its commitment to sustainability by incorporating post-consumer recycled materials into many of the new Chromebooks, which will also be easily repairable.
Introducing the Chromebook Plus, Google’s new premium line of Chromebooks powered by 13th Gen Intel processors, up to 16GB of RAM, and increased storage capacity. Chromebook Plus devices offer double the performance of regular models, while maintaining affordability and security.
Google is also introducing more AI capabilities to its education software. The Chrome browser’s new accessibility features will assist vision-impaired students by extracting text from PDFs. Additionally, ChromeOS’s reading mode will include integrated optical character recognition, read-aloud functionality, and line focus to enhance text comprehension. Natural-sounding text-to-speech voices will be integrated into ChromeOS, potentially further improving reading comprehension.
In Google Workspace apps like Docs and Sheets, the Duet AI feature will support teachers in crafting lesson plans and assignments by offering AI-generated writing suggestions. Furthermore, Classroom will enable teachers to create and share interactive lessons containing embedded questions in YouTube videos. To enhance the availability of educational tools worldwide, the Google for Education App Hub, which recommends apps integrated with Workspace tools, will expand its reach to more countries and languages.
Google is providing enhanced device management and security controls through its Chrome Education Upgrade program for administrators. The program offers new features such as smart fleet notifications and improved policy controls to simplify overseeing large-scale device deployments.
Endpoint Education Upgrade is another addition, providing robust management for Android and iOS devices in conjunction with existing Chromebook controls. Schools can now manage their entire fleet of diverse devices from a unified admin console for a cost of $5 per user.
By introducing these new Chromebooks, implementing AI upgrades, and expanding IT management capabilities, Google aims to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of digital learning in 2024 and beyond. These announcements align with the company’s ongoing commitment to innovating educational technology.
The developments announced by Google will undoubtedly impact students, teachers, and administrators in the education sector. The new Chromebooks, with their advanced features and sustainability focus, promise to provide learners with the necessary tools for educational success. The integration of AI enhancements into Google’s education software suite will assist in meeting the diverse needs of students, particularly those with visual impairments. The expanded device management and security controls will simplify the management of large-scale Chromebook and mixed-device deployments for administrators.
With their sights firmly set on revolutionizing education technology, Google’s latest initiatives seek to create a more effective and inclusive learning environment for students worldwide. As the demand for digital learning continues to grow, these developments hold significant promise for the future of education.
