Google Classroom just introduced something that is actually useful for lecturers: AI-suggested written feedback inside the grading workflow.
Google says educators can now use Gemini to draft personalised feedback for written assignments in private comments, based on the student’s work, grade level, and any focus area the educator specifies. The feature started rolling out on 19 February 2026, and teachers still review, edit, and refine the feedback before sending it.
From a Higher Ed perspective, this is where AI starts becoming practical. Not because it should replace lecturer judgment, but because it can reduce one of the most repetitive parts of teaching: writing the first draft of feedback, especially when you are grading large classes. Google positions it as a way to reduce workload while helping educators provide timely, specific, and more personalised guidance.
The real value, in my view, is not “AI writes feedback for me.” The value is this:
► the lecturer still decides the standard,
► the lecturer still checks the tone and accuracy,
► but the friction of starting from a blank box is reduced.
Senang cerita, AI should help us give better feedback faster, not make feedback generic.
A few important notes: this sits within Gemini in Google Classroom, which Google says is available across Google Workspace for Education editions, but this specific written-feedback feature is available for Education Plus and the Teaching & Learning add-on. Google also states that Gemini in Classroom features are currently available only in English and for users aged 18 and above.
This is the kind of update I like seeing in edtech: less hype, more help with actual teaching work.
