Vantage

What is Vantage?

Vantage is a research experiment from Google Research designed to assess “future-ready” skills using generative AI. It uses simulated, multi-party conversations so learners can practice skills in open-ended scenarios while an AI system collects structured evidence for evaluation.

The project was developed with pedagogy experts and researchers from New York University, with the goal of using a scalable approach that aligns with assessment practices used for core academic subjects. Google says Vantage is intended as a sandbox for high school and college students and includes an assessment method meant to produce validated skill scoring and feedback.

Key Features

• Simulated multi-party conversations with AI avatars: Learners interact with AI avatars in open-ended tasks (for example, debate preparation or pitching a creative vision) to generate observable evidence of skills in interaction.
• An “Executive LLM” that steers the assessment: An Executive LLM uses a provided assessment rubric to manage the conversation flow and introduce targeted challenges when needed (such as pushing back on an idea or introducing conflict).
• Adaptive evidence collection guided by a rubric: By monitoring the conversation state, the Executive LLM dynamically chooses when to surface specific challenges so that the information required for assessment is gathered by the end of the task.
• An “AI Evaluator” for rubric-based scoring: After the task, an AI Evaluator analyzes the conversation transcript against the same rubric to identify and measure evidence of skill application.
• A “skill map” with visual scoring and qualitative feedback: Learners receive a detailed skill map that links scores and written feedback to the skills and sub-skills demonstrated in the conversation.

How to Use Vantage

1. Sign up on Google Labs (Vantage is available in English, per the page).
2. Choose an open-ended scenario such as preparing for a debate or pitching a creative vision.
3. Participate in the simulated conversation with AI avatars while the system introduces challenges aligned to an assessment rubric.
4. Review the output after the conversation: you receive a skill map (visual score plus qualitative feedback) reflecting the skills evidenced in the transcript.

Use Cases

• Practice future-ready skills in a controlled environment: Students can rehearse communication, collaboration, and creative thinking behaviors in scenarios that are structured enough for assessment but still open-ended.
• Assess conflict resolution through prompted disagreement: If a conversation needs disagreement to evaluate responses, the Executive LLM can introduce conflict so learners demonstrate how they navigate it.
• Evaluate building on ideas in collaborative settings: In scenarios where participants must develop one another’s ideas, the adaptive setup can prompt ongoing idea refinement rather than stopping after the first proposal.
• Support educators with rubric-aligned evidence: Because the process is steered using a provided rubric and produces transcript-based scoring, educators can align lessons with the skill areas represented in the skill map.
• Provide students with actionable feedback on demonstrated sub-skills: The skill map is intended to make “invisible” progress visible by connecting qualitative feedback to specific skills and sub-skills observed in the interaction.

FAQ

Is Vantage a general-purpose chatbot? No. The page describes Vantage as an assessment experiment that creates rubric-steered simulated conversations with AI avatars to collect evidence for “future-ready” skills.

Who is Vantage for? Google states it is designed for high school and college students, offering a sandbox for practice and validated assessment.

What kinds of tasks does Vantage run? The page gives examples of open-ended scenarios such as preparing for a debate or pitching a creative vision.

How does Vantage produce a score? After a learner completes the conversation, an AI Evaluator analyzes the transcript against the assessment rubric, and the learner receives a skill map with visual scoring and qualitative feedback.

Where is Vantage available? The page says Vantage is available on Google Labs in English for sign up.

Alternatives

• Human-facilitated rubrics for performance-based tasks: Educators can run discussions, debates, or group activities and score using rubrics. This may be more resource-intensive and harder to standardize at scale.
• Standardized tests and fixed-item assessments: These are easier to administer but can be too rigid to capture interaction patterns or thought processes described on the page.
• Other AI tutoring or role-play systems with teacher-created rubrics: Instead of a dedicated “adaptive assessment engine,” some tools focus on conversation practice and feedback, with evaluation handled by the instructor or a separate rubric process.
• Learning analytics platforms focused on coursework outcomes: These track measurable learning signals, but may not directly evaluate interpersonal and creative-thinking behaviors in the way simulated multi-party conversations aim to do in Vantage.