Why is Google cutting off Search from AI-free schools? Here are some theories

Catch up on what you missed with our Education newsletter, sent weekly.Google is a big part of the school day for millions of students.It's not only a search engine.

It's a hub for sharing documents and turning in homework.An announcement this month makes it clear: Google wants AI to be a part of that education ecosystem.Many parents do not."Parents are angry," said Jodi Carreon, a mom in Southern California."They're very angry."When Carreon, who also runs the advocacy group Schools Beyond Screens, first read that Google was letting schools turn off AI features for students, she was excited.

Her group is part of the parent-led movement demanding limits on technology in the classroom.But even as districts including Los Angeles Unified, Seattle Public Schools and New York City Public Schools recently agreed to bans on AI in the classroom, Google did not.If schools don't want AI Overviews to appear when students use its flagship Search tool, the company said, they will lose access to Google Search altogether.

Even advocates who want less tech in schools know losing the ability to "Google" something will be an issue for teachers.In a post on X, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Google is using "its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools," and Democratic Sen.Ed Markey of Massachusetts wrote to Google's CEO demanding the company reverse its policy.Tracy Pizzo worked at Google for more than a decade before leaving the company in 2022.

Much of her time at the company was focused on education and ethical AI standards.Google's move this month baffled her, especially coming at a time when young people's use of AI is under such scrutiny.She has a theory about why the tech giant is taking this stance: It could be linked to two recent court cases Google fended off in D.C.Google was sued by big online publishers who said adding AI overview to search negatively affected their business.

The publishers sued under antitrust laws, and their argument hinged on con...