Google is rolling out online and offline programs built around its latest artificial intelligence model, Gemini, targeting Gen Z consumers and university students in South Korea. The lineup ranges from a pop-up store created with a popular web variety show to meetups with global AI experts, aimed at broadening how younger users work with AI.
Google said on Oct. 16 that it will open the pop-up store in Seoul's Seongsu-dong neighborhood on Oct. 30 in partnership with the YouTube web variety show "Jeongwaja," and will hold career meetups for university students nationwide.
The pop-up, called "Snack's Gemini Campus," was developed with ootb, the multiplatform content studio behind "Jeongwaja," and is designed as a virtual campus in the middle of the city. The concept grew out of an idea for an offline campus proposed on the show by its host, Kai of EXO.
The store will operate at the Hanseo Building in Seongsu-dong from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. Visitors will find "Ddok-bu," a character created by combining Gemini with the intellectual property of "Jeongwaja," along with limited-edition merchandise.
Guests receive a mobile student ID and move through booths organized by major, such as business administration and aerospace engineering, as well as club booths, trying out Gemini's main features in a game format. The features on display include Deep Research, which searches and analyzes web and academic sources to produce reports; Canvas, which assists with document work; Gemini Notebook, which supports studying; and an interactive visualization tool that generates working simulations in response to questions.
Live lectures tied to student interests are also planned. On Oct. 30, producer Ko Dong-wan, who directed "Workman" and "Jeongwaja," will speak on making content that resonates with Gen Z. On Oct. 31, Su-dragon of Geekble, a creator group specializing in science and engineering, will discuss campus life with Gemini. On Nov. 1, productivity creator Oppadu Excel will share techniques for working more efficiently on team projects and internship tasks.
The pop-up store is open without registration, but the lectures require advance sign-up through the "Team Gemini" KakaoTalk channel. Proceeds from the event will be donated jointly in the names of Google Gemini and "Jeongwaja" to help cover tuition for low-income university students in Korea.
Students will also get a chance to meet global AI experts. Google DeepMind staff working in AI research and development and user experience design will tour three cities — Busan, Daejeon and Seoul — from Oct. 27 to Oct. 29 for career meetups. They plan to discuss careers at a global technology company, how designers and engineers collaborate using AI, and cases from cutting-edge AI research.
Applications are open through Oct. 18 on the "Team Gemini" KakaoTalk channel, with results of the drawing to be announced on Oct. 20.
"From the Seongsu-dong pop-up store to meetings with Google DeepMind engineers, we designed this so university students can experience both the practical usefulness of Gemini in daily life and the future of the AI era," a Google official said. "We will work to help Korean university students improve their academic efficiency and realize their potential on the basis of AI technology."