Google’s AI-or-Search ultimatum for schools draws backlash, DuckDuckGo moves in

Google’s decision to tie access to Google Search to acceptance of its AI tools in K-12 classrooms has ignited a political firestorm and prompted rival DuckDuckGo to pitch itself as a substitute.

Under changes announced Tuesday, schools using Google’s education products will have Gemini, NotebookLM, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search turned off by default. Administrators can enable them individually — but only as a group. Because Google Search now heavily relies on AI features such as AI Overviews and a conversational AI Mode, blocking AI means blocking Search entirely.

“Search and AI are deeply integrated,” Chris Phillips, vice president for education at Google, told The New York Times. If a school chooses to restrict AI, students “will not have access to search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available.”

The policy forces a stark choice on millions of students and educators. Google has previously reported roughly 50 million Chromebooks in schools and over 150 million users on its Google Classroom platform. Schools that want to keep basic search functionality must accept the AI features that many educators say undermine learning by handing students direct answers.

**Political backlash**

The announcement drew swift condemnation from several left-leaning politicians, even as it landed on a busy U.S. Election Day.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) accused Google of “extortion” in a post on X, writing: “Google is threatening schools: if you stop your students from using AI, we will cut off your access to Google Search.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said Google is “more concerned with forcing Gemini into schools than enabling students to succeed.”

Lina Khan, the former Federal Trade Commission chair, called the move anticompetitive. “This highlights the danger of allowing an unregulated monopolist to control an essential service,” she wrote. “Multiple courts have found Google liable for violating antitrust laws, and this latest move shows it remains unchastened.”

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani also weighed in, accusing Google of being a monopoly and stating: “No corporation should have the power to dictate how we teach our children.”

**DuckDuckGo seizes the opening**

Privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo immediately moved to capitalize on the controversy. CEO Gabriel Weinberg pointed to online documentation explaining how schools can switch their default search engine to DuckDuckGo, adding “get in touch for help.”

DuckDuckGo’s chief public affairs officer, Kamyl Bazbaz, issued a stronger statement, writing: “Forcing AI on school children: how a monopolist behaves when they think people are powerless. Prove Google wrong.”

In an email to TechCrunch, DuckDuckGo criticized Google’s decision, arguing Google could easily disable Search’s AI features for schools if it wanted to. The company noted that it offers its own AI features — including a chat interface called Duck.ai and an AI search assistant — but allows users to disable them in both search and browser settings. It also operates a dedicated site, noai.duckduckgo.com, where all AI-assisted answers, AI-generated images, and AI feature suggestions are turned off.

DuckDuckGo reported earlier this year that its app installs were up 30%, which it attributed to users rejecting what it called being “force-fed” Google’s AI Search.

**Google defends its approach**

Google pushed back against the criticism, arguing the changes give schools more control. In a post on X, the company said: “Today’s announcements give schools more choice, not less. Here’s what we announced: – Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search will be OFF 🔴 by default. This is based on K-12 schools asking for more control…”

The company emphasized that it is responding to educator feedback. “We know there’s concern about students using AI to shortcut schoolwork, and schools have told us they want control,” Google wrote in a statement. “That’s exactly why we are making these changes today to address the feedback we’ve heard from educators in recent months.”

Alongside the policy shift, Google is rolling out a tool called “Guided Learning” for student accounts in Search. Designed to function like an AI tutor, it walks students through problem-solving steps — for example, prompting them to recall rules for dividing exponents rather than providing a direct answer to a math problem. The tool was unveiled earlier this year amid broader concerns that AI chatbots undermine the learning process.