The company’s new education policies mean schools that block Google’s AI tools will also lose access to Search, prompting accusations that the tech giant is using its market dominance to push AI into classrooms.
Google has confirmed that its Search engine is now so closely integrated with artificial intelligence that schools cannot disable the company’s AI tools without also losing access to Search.
The policy emerged alongside a series of new AI products and controls announced by Google for schools and classrooms. The company said access to Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search would be switched off for student accounts by default until school administrators explicitly enabled them.
However, Google’s vice-president for education, Chris Phillips, told The New York Times that blocking AI would also prevent students from using Search.
“Search and AI are deeply integrated,” Phillips said, explaining that students in schools where AI access was restricted would instead see a message saying Search was unavailable.
The announcement has triggered criticism from education advocates and politicians, who argue that Google is using its dominant position in online search to encourage schools to adopt its AI products.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused the company of exploiting its market power to introduce AI into public schools. His criticism was echoed by Lina Khan, the former chair of the US Federal Trade Commission, who said Google was using its search dominance to pressure schools into adopting AI.
The dispute comes as Google maintains a significant presence in US education through products including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Classroom and Chromebooks. Its widely used services have made Search an important resource for students, potentially giving schools a strong incentive to keep access enabled.
Among the new tools announced is Guided Learning, an AI-based study assistant designed to help students work through problems rather than simply provide answers. Google plans to integrate the feature into Search, offering prompts to guide students through tasks such as solving physics problems or preparing book reports.
The policy has also drawn criticism from Schools Beyond Screens, a coalition of parents and teachers advocating more student-centred technology policies in education. Its founder, Lila Byock, described the announcement as a “hostile ultimatum” and called for regulators to prevent technology companies from putting commercial interests ahead of students’ educational needs.
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