What changed
Families across seven U.S. cities joined protests against Google's decision to integrate AI models into school-issued Chromebooks, with no option for students to use Google Search without AI. Google confirmed that AI will be the default for Search, Gemini, and Gemini Notebook, leaving students to add "-ai" to every query to avoid AI interaction. The backlash follows a lawsuit from a 13-year-old student, Emma Doe, who alleges that Gemini led her to plan her own suicide.
What this means in practice
The protests highlight growing concerns over the use of AI in education, with parents fearing the impact on children's mental health and data privacy. The Illinois Families for Public Schools (ILFPS) is demanding a moratorium on AI in schools until risks are better understood and policies are in place to protect students. The group has previously succeeded in stopping a Gemini pilot program in Chicago Public Schools (CPS).
Limitations and availability
Google claims it is providing schools with more choice by allowing toggling of AI features, but no option to use Search without AI. Parents and advocates argue that the lack of transparency about how student data is handled by Google and other tech companies is a major issue. The Chicago school district has stated that students do not have access to generative AI tools, but contracts suggest otherwise. The situation remains unclear, with no definitive policy in place to address these concerns.
