Google shouldn’t be pressuring schools to use its AI
Google has said schools can’t have access to its search engine without AI, even in schools where AI use is being banned. Columnist Jacob Aron says the tech giant shouldn’t be dictating education policy in this way
In a contentious move, Google is pressuring schools to enable its AI capabilities, sparking debate over the use of AI in educational settings. Schools once relied on Google's search engine, which has since integrated AI tools like its Gemini chatbot. However, some US school districts want to decide whether or not students have access to AI.
Google argues that search and AI are deeply intertwined, making it impossible to disable AI without losing search functionality. The company insists that schools must accept AI to use Google's search engine, presenting schools with an all-or-nothing choice. Google spokesperson Chris Phillips stated that disabling AI would also disable search, but schools could still disable AI by adding a specific code to the URL.
However, this solution does not address the concern of having search without AI Overviews. Google offers an AI tutoring product with Guided Learning, which aims to guide students through homework help, but concerns remain about the potential shallowness of learning and the impact on exam results. The tech giant's approach has drawn criticism, with accusations of exploiting its monopoly power in online search.
Despite the controversy, AI is likely to remain a part of students' lives, and understanding it is necessary.
Written by urgent.news from New Scientist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
