US Senator Bernie Sanders has accused Google of extortion over AI in schools. The company will switch off Search for K-12 student accounts along with its artificial intelligence (AI) tools, leaving activation to school administrators.
Google says the change gives schools more control. Critics counter that AI features are built into Search, so schools cannot keep one without the other. That dispute adds political risk to the core business of parent company Alphabet.
Why Students Could Lose Access to Search
Google announced the update on November 3, with details for schools due in the coming months. Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Search will stay off for students until administrators turn them on.
At the same time, Google plans to test a homework mode inside student Search. When students seek help with schoolwork, AI Overviews, the AI summaries above search results, and AI Mode will guide them step by step instead of summarizing the answer.
The controversy centers on schools that reject AI. Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president for education, said such schools will not get Search access, CBS reported.
In response, Sanders called the policy extortion and repeated his demand to pause AI. The senator had already called for a full AI pause in September.
Can Google Separate AI in Schools From Search?
Hours after the backlash, Google posted a clarification. According to the company, schools can enable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search individually.
Still, a community note on that post says Google executives described Search and AI as deeply integrated. As a result, schools that enable Search would get AI features with no separate opt-out, the note adds.
Lina Khan, a former chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), also weighed in. In a post on X, she said the move shows the danger of letting an unregulated monopolist control an essential service.
For Alphabet, the timing is awkward. In late October, its stock suffered its worst crash in 22 years.
Meanwhile, the clash over AI in schools adds to growing pressure in Washington, where lawmakers have debated pausing AI development. Sanders has also warned about AI industry campaign money flowing into US politics.
