As Google rolls out Gemini 3 and its Nano “banana” model across Search, images, and apps, the ground is shifting again for AI in education. In this episode, we unpack what’s actually new, why many see Gemini 3 as the current front-runner, and how Google’s tight integration across Search, Workspace, and AI Studio could reshape how students and educators work.We walk through real examples—rich visual explanations of concepts like photosynthesis, automatic structuring of messy podcast transcripts, one-click image and video ads from long-form text, and rapid app prototyping with AI Studio. Then we zoom out to the bigger question: in a world where OpenAI, Google, and others are racing to “own” schools, how many ecosystems can institutions realistically support, and what does access (free vs Pro vs Ultra) mean for students and faculty?Chapters00:04 – Setting the stageIntro, late-November context, and why Gemini 3 feels like a “step change” in models (and yes, why models now apparently have a “smell”).01:01 – The burger emoji that launched a model?The Apple vs Google cheeseburger emoji saga, Sundar’s callback, and what it reveals about Gemini 3’s multimodal reasoning and visual explanation abilities.02:12 – Benchmarks and “Humanity’s Last Exam”How Gemini 3 performs on demanding benchmarks, why its no-tools scores matter, and why some analysts now see it as the clear front-runner.03:33 – Gemini inside Google SearchAI Overviews, the new AI mode for Pro users, and what it means when AI is fully embedded in the same Google Search we already tell students to use.05:00 – Teaching with rich AI explanationsUsing Gemini 3 to explain photosynthesis with bolded key ideas, structured text, and licensed images from Getty—what this kind of output could mean for student learning.05:56 – Cleaning up transcripts & coaching debateHow Gemini auto-formats messy transcripts, highlights critical ideas, and helps pull evidence and quotes from podcasts and other long-form media.07:08 – From 3,000-word blog post to marketing imageGenerating a sophisticated, on-brand image for a “Human Superintelligence Center” directly from a long Substack post—and why paid vs free accounts produce noticeably different results.08:08 – Building apps with AI StudioFirst impressions of AI Studio, integrating Maps, YouTube, search, visuals, and conversation to rapidly prototype apps—even simple games like Space Invaders.09:23 – Turning images into video ads with Veo 3.1Taking a single image and asking Gemini/Veo to “make me an ad”—and getting a full video with motion and voiceover in response.10:13 – A weekend in Tokyo (plus Nano Banana)Letting Gemini plan travel: clickable links, bookings, and AI-generated preview images for a Tokyo itinerary, powered by Nano “banana” image generation.10:56 – OpenAI’s leaked memo & the AI raceSam Altman’s reported “war footing” memo, the scramble for users, and why both Google and OpenAI are targeting schools, teachers, and students aggressively.12:38 – Choosing an ecosystem in educationWhy schools probably can’t deeply support every platform, how training, materials, and assignments create platform lock-in, and what that means for AI strategy.13:38 – Free vs Pro vs Ultra: not all Gemini is equalComparing personal, Pro, Ultra, and school/enterprise Google accounts; how capabilities differ for transcripts and image generation; and why “I tried the free version” doesn’t tell the whole story.16:10 – Access, equity, and FERPA realitiesTalking with students and colleagues about privacy-compliant school systems versus personal accounts, throttled features, and the fact that most students will never need top-tier models.17:37 – What’s next & how to get involvedTeasing a future episode on AI Studio, inviting listener questions about other platforms, and wrapping with a Thanksgiving send-off.#AIxHigherEd #AIinEducation #HigherEd #EdTech #GoogleGemini #Gemini3 #GenerativeAI #TeachingWithAI #AIInTheClassroom