The purpose of this article is to introduce UCO students, faculty, and staff to the functionality and features of Google Gemini and Google NotebookLM. Standard access to Gemini and NotebookLM is provided to all UCO users at no cost. All prompts and responses are covered by Google Workspace data protection policies.
What is Gemini?
Gemini is a powerful and versatile family of AI models developed by Google. Users can interact with Gemini as an AI chatbot or through Google Workspace products and services. Standard access to Gemini utilizes the 2.5 Flash multimodal model. It is designed to be a fast and efficient model for all-around productivity. Gemini can understand and process various types of information (i.e., multimodal) and generate context-aware responses.
It is a prompt or question-driven AI content generator. It is designed to understand and generate various types of data, including
- Text (plain text, Markdown, PDF)
- Structured Data (JSON, CSV, XML)
- Code (various programming languages)
- Images (generated based on prompts)
- Charts/Graphs (simple visual data representations)
- And Google file formats when used integrated with the apps
Gemini’s integration across Google Workspace enables users to incorporate files from their Google Drive into their chat interactions. Gemini can analyze and extract information from these files to provide relevant insights, answer questions, suggest improvements, or summarize content.
The standard Gemini tier is limited to approximately 15-20 complex queries per day. Once the daily limit is reached, the user must wait until the next day for the daily limit to reset. During the interim period, Gemini will be unavailable. An upgraded Gemini tier with access to the 2.5 Pro model and unlimited daily queries with priority is available for power users and follows a cost recovery model. Please consult your department leadership if you are interested.
Where can I find Gemini?
Gemini can be accessed standalone as a chat found at the URL below, under the Google Workspace, or integrated in Google Docs, Sheets, and Gmail (students only).
Chat: Visit https://gemini.google.com/ and sign in with UCO credentials.
Workspace: Gemini can be easily accessed from Google Search or Workspace app by click on the Google Apps “waffle” icon and clicking on Gemini.
What is NotebookLM?
NotebookLM, powered by Gemini, is a personalized AI research assistant that becomes an expert on the content you provide. It grounds itself exclusively in your documents and sources, allowing you to ask questions and generate insights based only on your information. Research can be organized into distinct "notebooks" for different projects, creating focused, dedicated workspaces.
Where can I find NotebookLM?
NotebookLM can be accessed by visiting https://notebooklm.google.com/ and signing in with UCO credentials.
UCO AI Policies
For the comprehensive requirements and guidelines for the acceptable use of artificial intelligence systems at UCO, please see the Artificial Intelligence Acceptable Use Standard.
What Can Gemini Do?
The easiest way to learn about Gemini’s capabilities is to go to its prompt and enter “What can you do?” You will begin to see many different applications, including academic activities.
Resources
Getting Started
Training
How is assistance requested?
We've made contacting us easy and convenient! Choose the method that best suits you:
- Online: Open a ticket through this self-service portal for prompt assistance.
- Phone: Call the UCO Service Help Desk at 405-974-2255 and speak directly to a technician.
- Chat: You can chat with us from the Home page.
- Walk-in: For in-person troubleshooting and advice, visit the IT Support Center on the first floor of the Chambers Library or the Tech Express in the Nigh University Center.