Google faced immediate criticism on Tuesday after announcing that schools using Google’s K-12 software would be unable to use Search unless they opted in to using AI tools.
Vice President for Education Chris Phillips told The New York Times that Search and AI are deeply integrated. He explained that if a student’s school does not opt in to using AI tools like Gemini, students “will not have access to search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available.”
Despite the announcement coming on a busy Election Day, several politicians voiced their concerns. Senator Bernie Sanders accused Google of “extortion” on X, stating, “Google is threatening schools: if you stop your students from using AI, we will cut off your access to Google Search.” Senator Richard Blumenthal argued the company is “more concerned with forcing Gemini into schools than enabling students to succeed.”
President Trump claimed that AI oligarchs could regulate themselves because they “love our country.”
Lina Khan, the former FTC chair and anti-monopoly advocate, also condemned the decision. She wrote, “This highlights the danger of allowing an unregulated monopolist to control an essential service,” noting that multiple courts have found Google liable for antitrust violations.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Google of wielding too much power, commenting, “No corporation should have the power to dictate how we teach our children.”
While Search is essential for information gathering, educators worry that AI overviews might discourage students from finding answers independently. For millions of students required to use Chromebooks and Google education tools, switching to a different search engine presents a significant hurdle.
In response to these concerns, Google stated it is developing a “Guided Learning” tool for student accounts. This feature is designed to walk students through the process of solving a problem or finding information rather than simply providing the answer, such as prompting them to refresh their memory on math rules instead of giving a number.
Although the initial announcement caused a stir, Google clarified in an X post that it had adjusted its approach based on educator feedback. The company noted that AI products like Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search are now turned off by default, giving schools more control.
“We know there’s concern about students using AI to shortcut schoolwork, and schools have told us they want control,” Google wrote. “That’s exactly why we are making these changes today to address the feedback we’ve heard from educators in recent months. And we’ll continue to engage deeply with educators to ensure we are giving schools more choice, more controls, and improved Search for learning.”
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