Google has received massive backlash after it announced that schools which choose to disable its artificial intelligence (AI) tools for students, could also lose access to Google Search. Google defended its decision stating that administrators will have the freedom to decide which services they want to enable.
The announcement, however, sparked criticism from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former US Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, who accused the technology giant of using its dominance to push AI into classrooms. "No corporation should have the power to dictate how we teach our children. Our public schools exist to serve students, not to grow the profit margins of Big Tech," Mamdani stated in a post on X.
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What Was The Controversy?
The controversy emerged after Google announced changes to its educational products on Tuesday. Under the new policy, access to Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search will remain disabled for K-12 student accounts until school administrators explicitly enable them.
The company stated that these changes had followed feedback from schools, teachers, researchers and policymakers seeking greater control over students' use of AI. Google had described the objective as giving school leaders the ability to decide how AI products are used in classrooms.
The announcement had been made by Google's Vice President and General Manager of Education, Chris Phillips, in a blog post titled "Designing Responsible AI For Learning." He stated in the blog post, "We believe schools should have control over AI in their classrooms and in providing administrators with controls to help them manage their approach."
Google's Response To Criticism
Google's official News from Google account on X responded to the criticism in a post, stating that its announcement was intended to provide schools with greater flexibility. The post clarified that schools could turn on Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Search individually and stated that the changes were introduced in response to K-12 schools seeking greater control over students' use of AI.
"Today's announcements give schools more choice, not less," the company said, adding that it was updating Search to make it more suitable for learning.
However, the issue is that Google Search itself now incorporates AI features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode. As a result, schools seeking to prevent students from using AI may have to disable Search as well by default.
Debate Over Use Of AI In Schools Intensifies
The announcement by Google came amid wider concerns about the impact of AI on children's education, academic integrity and critical thinking.
Educators and child-development experts have questioned whether AI tools could encourage students to seek quick answers rather than develop independent thinking and problem-solving skills. The Associated Press reported that concerns have also been raised about the potential impact of AI on children's brain development.
The publication also reported that New York City and Los Angeles have temporarily restricted generative AI tools in elementary and middle schools while assessing their use and developing safety policies.
Children's advocacy group Fairplay also criticised Google's approach. Its executive director, Josh Golin, argued that the company's move to encourage AI adoption could backfire and urged schools to consider alternatives.
Google, meanwhile, said its aim was to give school leaders greater control over how AI is used in classrooms. The company said it would share more details about the rollout in the coming months, giving schools time to prepare for the transition.
Google Introduces Guided Learning
Alongside the changes to school controls, Google announced the expansion of its Guided Learning capabilities to Search and Google Classroom.The company said the feature was designed to help students understand concepts and work through problems rather than simply obtain answers.
In Search, Guided Learning is expected to help students work through certain homework-related queries step by step. Google said it would begin piloting the feature in select US schools later in November, before expanding it to other districts in the coming months.
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