NC State has expanded its digital toolkit with the introduction of Google’s generative AI chatbot, Gemini, and two new AI-powered Google Workspace tools: NotebookLM and Vids. These resources are now available to all NC State students, faculty and staff.

Gemini, released to the campus community in November 2024, is a powerful generative AI tool that can assist with tasks like drafting emails, creating presentation outlines, and writing code.

NotebookLM and Vids, introduced in February 2025, enhance the Google Workspace experience. NotebookLM allows users to upload sources, such as notes or research papers, for summarization and organization, aiming to improve learning and foster new ideas. Vids is a user-friendly video editing tool designed for creating professional-looking videos without prior experience.

A crucial feature across these tools is enhanced data protection when logged in with an NC State account. Using your NC State account ensures that your data will not be used or reviewed to train AI models.

In addition to the new AI tools, Google storage was at the forefront of the past year. NC State has completed phase one of its Google storage optimization project, successfully reducing storage from 5 petabytes to under 2 petabytes by implementing quotas. The university is now transitioning to phase two, a paid storage model.

“While the Google storage project presented initial challenges, it proved to be a significant benefit. It prompted a deliberate and long-overdue review of our files, leading to the creation of new infrastructure and reminders. This extensive process, which included a thorough examination of files, ultimately allowed us to delete unnecessary data or relocate appropriate materials to research storage,” says Melissa Pasquinelli, associate dean of academic affairs for the College of Natural Resources. “Despite the initial friction, this project facilitated essential digital reorganization.”