Google links Search access to AI use
Google announced new AI products for classrooms on Tuesday, including Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search updates. After listening to schools, teachers, researchers, and policymakers, Google executives wrote in a blogpost that they are updating controls for Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search. While school administrators can disable AI for K-12 student accounts, they cannot block these tools without losing access to Google Search entirely. Chris Phillips, Google’s vice-president for education, said "Search and AI are deeply integrated" and explained that a school-wide ban would mean students "will not have access to search" and would instead see a message from their school stating it is not available. This policy acts as a hostile ultimatum for districts attempting to restrict generative AI. Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, recently imposed a one-year moratorium on generative AI tools in city schools through the eighth grade.
Mamdani posted on X that Google is "trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools" and argued that no corporation should dictate how schools teach children or aim to grow the profit margins of Big Tech. Lina Khan, the former chair of the US Federal Trade Commission, also tweeted that Google uses its search monopoly "to coerce schools into adopting AI". Because Google integrates its artificial intelligence directly into its search engine, school administrators face a difficult choice between allowing AI tools or losing access to Google Search for their students. The ubiquity of Google Search makes it a critical tool for students, and losing access could provide enough reason to opt into using new AI features. Lila Byock, founder of the national coalition Schools Beyond Screens, said educational value must determine product use rather than shareholder value.
Classroom tools and student restrictions
| Feature | Function |
|---|---|
| Gemini | AI tool for students and teachers |
| Gemini Notebook | AI tool for students and teachers |
| Gemini in Classroom | AI tool for students and teachers |
| Guided Learning | AI study tool integrated into Search |
Guided Learning helps students by coaching them through problem solving instead of providing direct answers. If a student pastes a complex physics problem or asks for help writing a book report in Search, the tool provides prompts to help them think through concepts. Google software and hardware solutions are among the most widely used in schools. Lila Byock, who leads a coalition of parents and teachers advocating for student-centered screen policies, said that regulators must intervene to prevent big tech from exploiting schoolchildren for profit.
