Google is reshaping Nordic education with Gemini for Education now serving nearly 30,000 students and teachers across Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The rollout represents one of Europe's most ambitious AI-in-education initiatives, with teachers calling the productivity gains "revolutionary" and governments fast-tracking privacy approvals to accelerate adoption.
Google just scored a major victory in the global race to bring AI into classrooms. The tech giant's Gemini for Education platform is now actively serving nearly 30,000 students and faculty members across Nordic schools, marking one of Europe's most significant AI education deployments to date.
The momentum is building fast. In Iceland, the Ministry of Education partnered with Google to launch a pilot program involving 300 teachers, integrating both Gemini for Education and NotebookLM to enhance personalized learning. "We're exploring how AI can truly support teachers in offering personalized learning that improves educational quality," Þórdís Jóna Sigurðardóttir, Director General of The Directorate of Education, told Google's official blog.
But it's the Swedish rollout that's grabbing the most attention. Teachers are reporting dramatic productivity gains that go far beyond typical ed-tech promises. Johan Kellén, teacher and ICT Coordinator at Linköping Municipality, explained the challenge Gemini solves: "It takes so long to produce good teaching material - you usually have to construct it yourself and ensure it's up to date and adapted to each class and sometimes each student. This is where Gemini is able to help."
The "revolutionary" label isn't marketing speak. Teachers across Swedish districts are using Gemini to create high-quality, tailored materials in minutes instead of hours, freeing up time for actual student interaction. Districts have been hosting workshops to train educators on the platform while also engaging older students in discussions about AI literacy and responsible use.
Meanwhile, Norway just removed a major regulatory hurdle that could accelerate adoption across Europe. The country completed a national Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) that officially greenlit Google Workspace for Education and ChromeOS in schools nationwide.
This isn't just a bureaucratic win - it's a competitive advantage. The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) worked directly with to create a centralized privacy assessment, eliminating the need for individual municipalities to conduct their own complex GDPR compliance reviews. That means Norwegian schools can focus resources on innovation instead of administrative paperwork.
