Google faces backlash over search settings for schools that ban AI
Google says search will be off by default in its school tools, and schools can turn it back on with AI Overviews. Politicians including Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani criticised the policy on Tuesday.
- Google says Gemini, Gemini Notebook and search will be off by default in its school offering.
- Schools can turn one or all of them back on, according to Google.
- Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani criticised the policy after a New York Times report.
Google is facing political criticism over a new policy on artificial intelligence in schools, after reports that search would be restricted at schools that reject AI. CNBC reported the backlash on Tuesday.
The New York Times reported that Google would turn off search for schools that reject AI entirely. Google then said Gemini, Gemini Notebook and search will be turned off by default, and that schools can turn one or all of them back on. According to CNBC, the company said search can be turned back on with AI Overviews.
In a blog post, Google said it is bringing AI into its Classroom offering with a product called Guided Learning. It said AI Mode and AI Overviews will offer step-by-step guided learning, so students do not get quick answers to schoolwork. Google said the policy is meant to give schools more choice over how students interact with AI.
Chris Phillips, Google's vice president for education, said: "Search and AI are deeply integrated." CNBC noted that Google's post did not explicitly respond to the claim that access to search requires the use of AI. A Google spokesperson referred CNBC to the company's X post when asked for comment.
After the Times story, Senator Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani voiced outrage on social media. Sanders said: "Google is threatening schools". Mamdani said: "Google is trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools".
Former FTC Chair Lina Khan said on X on Tuesday that the policy highlights the danger of an unregulated monopolist controlling an essential service. CNBC noted that Google has lost antitrust cases over its search and advertising businesses.
The criticism comes amid wider scrutiny of AI and children. Last month, US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley launched an inquiry into Google's push of AI into classrooms. Common Sense Media gave Google's AI Overviews an unacceptable risk rating. Google introduced AI Overviews as a search function in May 2024.
Why it matters
Pakistani students and freelancers rely on Google Search daily, so changes in how it is tied to AI features affect them directly.
