A dispute over artificial intelligence in classrooms has turned into a direct confrontation between Google and New York City's public school system, the largest in the United States.
Earlier this week, Google said schools that ban its AI tools would also lose access to Google Search. Critics called the move coercive, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani quickly condemned it, accusing the company of using its market dominance to push AI into schools.
The clash highlights how heavily schools depend on a single technology provider, and how difficult it may be to set limits on that provider's products.
A Policy That Ties Search to AI
According to a report by Gothamist, Google maintains that its search engine and its AI features cannot be separated. Chris Phillips, the company's vice president for education, told the New York Times that the two are deeply integrated, meaning that disabling AI would also disable search.
Google said the new policy would take effect early next year. The company did not respond to Gothamist's requests for comment.
Mamdani's Ban Sets the Stage
The standoff follows Mamdani's September announcement of a one-year moratorium on most AI programs in city schools, along with tighter restrictions on screen time, particularly for younger students.
That decision was seen as a significant victory for parents who oppose AI in public school classrooms. Responding to Google on X, Mamdani argued that no corporation should be able to dictate how the city educates its children.
How Deep Google Runs in City Schools
Google's leverage comes from how embedded its products have become, especially since the pandemic pushed schools toward individual devices and remote learning. City officials said the system holds 1.3 million Chromebooks, with about 500,000 assigned to students and another 800,000 kept in schools.
Teachers distribute assignments through Google Classroom, and students rely on Google Docs and search for daily work. Kelly Clancy, part of a coalition seeking a complete AI ban in city schools, said all three of her children must use Google Classroom for homework and remote learning.
Clancy acknowledged that untangling the school system from Google would be very hard, but argued that parents nationwide have organized against AI in schools and that the moment is right to reduce dependence on the company.
The City and Google Respond
Public schools spokesperson Nicole Brownstein said officials are reaching out to Google to discuss the change. She said the city has already disabled the Gemini chatbot and AI Mode on student Chromebooks and has asked Google to remove AI Overviews, which still appear in search results.
After the Times report, Google offered more detail on X. It said the changes give schools more choice, with Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Google Search turned off by default and schools deciding which services, if any, to enable.
The company said the update reflects feedback from K-12 schools and that AI Mode and AI Overviews will be adjusted to walk students through problems step by step rather than simply supplying answers to schoolwork.
Critics Question Google's Reasoning
Assemblymember Alex Bores, who previously worked at Palantir and recently co-founded the AI safety advocacy group Who Decides, said Google has invested heavily in marketing its education products. He described the policy as a profit-maximizing product decision.
Bores pointed out that competitors such as DuckDuckGo let users opt in or out of AI search, and said Google could offer the same option, even just for children. Zephyr Teachout, a professor at Fordham Law School, went further, saying she believes the move violates antitrust law and expects investigations, including from the Attorney General's office.
Naveed Hasan, a member of the Panel for Educational Policy, which votes on education contracts, suggested the city write protections into future agreements so vendors cannot change purchased software without approval mid-contract.
What the Standoff Signals for Edtech
The dispute arrives as parents, educators and lawmakers increasingly argue that AI tools enable cheating, undercut learning and can draw young users into harmful interactions. Google now faces scrutiny not just over its features but over how it bundles them.
For school districts, the episode is a reminder of the risks of relying on one vendor for core infrastructure. Clancy framed it as a chance to rethink instruction, suggesting the city teach research fundamentals and invest in libraries and books.
For edtech founders and competitors, the situation may open space for products that give institutions clearer control over AI features, as well as contract terms that limit unilateral changes by suppliers.
Source: Gothamist
