Educators and policymakers criticize Google's classroom AI policy

Khan says Google uses search monopoly to coerce schools into adopting AI

The Associated Press reported that educators and policymakers met Google’s Tuesday announcement on classroom AI with swift criticism. Lina Khan, former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, said Google was using its search monopoly to coerce schools into adopting AI. Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, said Google’s attempt to strong-arm schools into using its AI products was likely to backfire.

Khan wrote on social media: “Google is using its search monopoly to coerce schools into adopting AI. This highlights the danger of allowing an unregulated monopolist to control an essential service,” she wrote. She added: “As the public increasingly pushes back against the use of AI in schools, Google is making clear it will punish those who don’t fall in line.” Messages seeking additional comment from Google were left Tuesday.

Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, said Google’s attempt to “strong-arm schools into using its AI products is likely to backfire.” He said Google’s technology in schools was not about learning but about “developing lifetime brand loyalty” for its products.

“Because AI isn’t safe for kids and undermines education and critical thinking, schools should turn off Google’s AI tools the minute that option becomes available,” Golin said in a statement. Rather than fret about losing access to search, Golin urged schools to turn off not just AI but also Google, and “use this opportunity to help students find more privacy-protective alternatives for search, as well as ways to do more substantive research beyond search and click.”

New York City and Los Angeles, home to the nation’s biggest school districts, have issued temporary bans on generative AI tools in elementary and middle schools. The bans come as the districts assess AI use and safety and develop policies on its use.

In August, Google switched on its Gemini chatbot for many K-12 students who use Google Classroom. Until August, Google had allowed Gemini to be turned on only for students 18 or older. The change drew pushback from educators, child development experts and parents, and criticism of Google’s use of technology in schools grew after the announcement.

The Mountain View, California, company said Tuesday that the August practice would no longer be the default option for school administrators and that opting out of AI tools would also mean losing access to Google Search. For K-12 student accounts, access to Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search will be automatically turned off until “school administrators explicitly turn them on,” Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president and general manager of education, said in a blog post.

Phillips wrote: “We believe schools should have control over AI in their classrooms and in providing administrators with controls to help them manage their approach.” Students using Google software in the classroom will not be allowed to access the company’s search engine unless their school system also opts in to AI tools.

The Associated Press characterized Google as the dominant provider of education technology for U.S. schools. The company says 150 million students and teachers worldwide use its Google Classroom platform, and many students use school-provided Chromebook computers.

Associated Press reporting also said many students already use AI to help with school and homework. The report said the technology has made it easier to cheat and find quick, easy answers to questions instead of thinking critically, and that experts have raised questions about how access to AI is affecting children’s brain development.