By Salma El-Sakka
Google has acknowledged that its search engine can no longer function without artificial intelligence, telling schools that blocking the company's AI tools will also cut off student access to Google Search.
AI integration makes search inseparable
In a blog post Tuesday, Google announced new AI products for classrooms, including Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Gemini in Classroom. The company said administrators must explicitly enable these tools for K-12 accounts. However, Chris Phillips, Google's vice president for education, told the New York Times that "Search and AI are deeply integrated," meaning a school-wide ban on AI would result in students losing search access entirely.
Critics accuse Google of monopoly leverage
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who recently imposed a one-year moratorium on generative AI in city schools through eighth grade, said Google is exploiting its near-total control of online search. "Google is trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools," Mamdani posted on X. Former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan echoed the concern, stating Google was using its search monopoly to coerce schools into adopting AI.
New AI study tool integrated into search
Among the new features is Guided Learning, an AI tool designed to coach students through problem-solving rather than providing direct answers. Google plans to integrate Guided Learning directly into Search, so that when a student pastes a complex physics problem or asks for help writing a book report, they receive prompts to think critically.
Advocates call move a 'hostile ultimatum'
Lila Byock, founder of Schools Beyond Screens, a coalition of parents and teachers advocating for student-centered screen policies, called the announcement a "hostile ultimatum." She argued that educational value, not shareholder value, should determine which products are used, and urged regulators to intervene.
