source: google deepmind: empowering india’s next generation of innovators with atl saathi
level: business
atal tinkering labs (atl) in india provide over 11 million students with access to technologies like 3d printing, iot, and robotics. the program now uses ai to scale mentorship, shifting focus from physical infrastructure to better learning outcomes. google deepmind announced at the ai impact summit in february 2026 that it would help integrate robotics and coding into curricula, embed gemini into teacher workflows, and build a safeguarded ai assistant for students aligned with national standards.
the new tool, atl saathi, is a gemini-powered web application now in a live pilot. it offers streamlined onboarding with summarized modules, ai-generated infographics, video overviews, and interactive quizzes for 12 core curriculum modules. this micro-learning approach helps teachers quickly grasp complex topics. an advanced project generator supports both push and pull mentorship: teachers can create grade-appropriate project ideas or get step-by-step assembly instructions, wiring diagrams, and safety precautions for student-proposed problems.
the assistant works in eight languages to match india's linguistic diversity, with flexibility for more. it uses the gemini 3.5 flash model to generate concise instructional materials and project plans. the pilot is rolling out to 100 schools, aiming to reduce administrative load and increase teacher readiness for guiding student innovation. the initiative is a collaboration with the atal innovation mission, part of niti aayog, to ground the tool in teacher needs and atl's educational principles.
why it matters: this shows how ai can scale personalized teacher support in resource-constrained education systems, potentially improving stem mentorship for millions of students.
source: google deepmind: empowering india’s next generation of innovators with atl saathi