Google faces mounting backlash for controversial AI school policy

What happened: Sen. Edward Markey sent a letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai demanding Google reverse a policy that blocks Google Search for K-12 student accounts unless schools also offer its AI education tools. Key numbers: Roughly 150 million students and teachers use Google Classroom. Why it matters: Markey said Google should not use its education technology market dominance to force AI on schools, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also criticized the policy. Google says the change gives schools more control over AI.

Sen. Edward Markey sent a letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai demanding Google reverse a policy that blocks Google Search for K-12 student accounts unless schools also offer its AI education tools.

Markey said Google should not use its education technology market dominance to force AI on schools, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also criticized the policy. Google says the change gives schools more control over AI.