Google faces mounting backlash for controversial AI school policy

Google faces mounting public pressure to change a new policy that would limit U.S. students' access to the internet giant's widely used search platform unless schools also offer its artificial intelligence-based education tools. 

In a letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday, Sen. Edward Markey demanded that Google's corporate parent reverse the policy, which blocks search for K-12 student accounts that don't also provide access to apps such as Google Classroom.

Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said Google shouldn't use its dominance in the education technology market to effectively force AI on students by restricting their access to critical research tools like Google Search. Roughly 150 million students and teachers use Classroom. 

"At a time when schools, parents and policymakers are working hard to implement safeguards on AI chatbots for our children, Google is recklessly forcing AI on schools and treating kids like collateral damage," Markey said in the letter. "Schools deserve the right to block student access to AI chatbots without also forfeiting access to an important educational tool."

Google maintains that its policy change gives schools more control over how they allow AI into schools. An Alphabet spokesperson also told CBS News that Google's AI features are now so tightly integrated into search that it cannot offer the latter without also enabling the AI services. 

"We believe schools should have control over AI in their classrooms and in providing administrators with controls to help them manage their approach," Google vice president and general manager of education Chris Phillips wrote last week in a blog post announcing the policy change. 

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Markey's letter.

Markey said Google's decision to block search access for students who opt out of AI "places schools in an impossible position," forcing them to choose between giving students access to a potentially dangerous technology and depriving them of "a critical educational research tool."

"Although Google has a right to create and offer new educational tools, it should not use its dominant market position to force schools to adopt them," he added. 

Markey is asking Alphabet if Google will commit to allowing schools to turn off AI features and chatbots in K-12 student accounts while still allowing students to access Google Search. He also requested that Google disclose any research it has conducted on the impact of its AI tools on students' mental health.

Markey has requested that Google disclose any research or testing it has conducted on the safety of its AI functions and their impact on the mental health of K-12 students. 

Google's policy has drawn fire from other critics. In a statement posted on social media, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused the tech giant of "trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools."