From TechCrunch · Amanda Silberling · · 2m
Google ties Search to AI adoption in schools
Google announced schools must opt into AI tools to keep using Search, sparking accusations of monopoly abuse from politicians and regulators.
In brief
Google announced schools must opt into AI tools to keep using Search, sparking accusations of monopoly abuse from politicians and regulators. Google said schools using its K-12 software cannot access Search unless they opt in to AI tools, drawing swift criticism from politicians and antitrust advocates who called it…
Google ties Search to AI adoption
Google announced on Tuesday that schools using its K-12 software cannot access Search unless they opt in to using AI tools like Gemini.
What Google says will happen
Chris Phillips, vice president for education at Google, told The New York Times that if a school does not opt in to AI tools, students will not have access to Search and will see a…
“Search and AI are deeply integrated”
Sanders calls it extortion
Senator Bernie Sanders accused Google of extortion on X, writing that Google is threatening schools: if you stop your students from using AI, we will cut off your access to Google Search.
“Google is threatening schools: if you stop your students from using AI, we will cut off your access to Google Search”
Blumenthal and Khan weigh in
Senator Richard Blumenthal said Google is more concerned with forcing Gemini into schools than enabling students to succeed. Lina Khan, former FTC chair, condemned the decision as anti-competitive and dangerous.
“This highlights the danger of allowing an unregulated monopolist to control an essential service”
NYC mayor calls it monopoly abuse
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Google of being a monopoly, saying no corporation should have the power to dictate how we teach our children.
Why educators are worried
Teachers worry that built-in AI overviews in Search could discourage students from finding answers themselves. For millions of students required to use Chromebooks and Google tools, switching search engines is not a simple fix.
Google's Guided Learning tool
Google says it is working on a Guided Learning tool for student accounts in Search that walks students through solving problems rather than handing them answers directly.
Google's response to backlash
Google said it listened to educators by turning off AI products by default and noted that schools could turn on Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search individually to give schools more choice and control.
“We know there's concern about students using AI to shortcut schoolwork, and schools have told us they want control”
Here's the gist
Google said schools using its K-12 software cannot access Search unless they opt in to AI tools, drawing swift criticism from politicians and antitrust advocates who called it extortion and monopoly abuse.
