Google Research and Stanford Accelerator for Learning Launch "Polar Peaks" AI Quest

Introduction to Polar Peaks

Google Research and the Stanford Accelerator for Learning have launched "Polar Peaks," which is the third lesson in the AI Quests series. The interactive program is designed for students ages 11 to 14 to teach them key AI literacy skills while exploring neuroscience. The award-winning AI Quests program has seen more than 400,000 completed quests to date and has been localized to 10 languages. Earlier this year, the AI Quests series won a 2026 Webby Award for AI Education, Learning & Training, and Best Global K-12 Learning Solution at the ETIH Innovation Awards.

Mapping the Human Brain with AI

In "Polar Peaks," students act as researchers to map neurons and solve mysteries, specifically helping a game character understand memory loss with the guidance of in-game mentors. The quest is inspired by over a decade of Google Research in connectomics, which is the science of mapping neural networks in the brain. Students complete hands-on tasks such as data cleaning and model testing. These exercises emphasize the need for human oversight and critical thinking in technology, while demonstrating how AI helps scientists study the brain and speed up research. Upon completing the quest, students hear from two researchers behind real-world breakthroughs, including the recent mapping of the complete fruit fly brain, which is the largest brain map by number of neurons to date.

Series Context and Teacher Training

The AI Quests series previously released two quests inspired by Google Research initiatives: flood forecasting and eye disease detection (diabetic retinopathy screening). To help educators integrate these lessons into their classrooms, Google is rolling out new dedicated teacher training modules within the Google AI Educator Series. While training modules for the first two quests are already accessible, the specific training module for Quest #3 ("Polar Peaks") will follow next month.