Google Is Allegedly Using Its 'Search Monopoly to Coerce Schools' Into Keeping AI Tech

Former US Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan accused Google of exploiting its search dominance on Tuesday, 3 November 2026.

Her criticism followed changes announced for American schools, which could lose Google Search through affected student accounts if administrators reject AI features.

The changes concern kindergarten-to-12th-grade (K-12) student accounts. Google says Search, Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Gemini in Classroom will be disabled by default until school administrators explicitly enable them.

However, retaining Google Search will still require accepting some AI functionality.

Google Search Offers Two AI-Enabled Options

According to The New York Times, schools choosing to retain Search will receive two experiences in early 2027. One includes AI Overviews and conversational AI features. The other uses Guided Learning, a version of Google's Gemini technology designed for education.

Google says Guided Learning helps pupils tackle academic questions through prompts and step-by-step explanations rather than immediately supplying answers. But its effectiveness in preventing misuse remains contested. In a test reported by the newspaper, the consumer version produced a detailed essay in response to a history assignment.

Chris Phillips, Google's vice-president and general manager of education, defended the approach in comments reported by The New York Times.

'Search and AI are deeply integrated,' Phillips said. He explained that students at schools disabling Search 'will not have access to search' through the affected accounts and would see a message indicating the school's decision.

The restriction does not mean pupils cannot use other search engines or that their personal accounts and devices will be blocked. Administrators can separately control access to Gemini products, but the proposed Google Search settings do not include a conventional AI-free option.

For schools seeking to limit chatbot use, the trade-off could complicate everyday research lessons. Teachers may need to change how pupils find information online, particularly where Google services are already widely used.

Lina Khan Challenges Google's Search Policy

In a post on X on 3 November, Khan accused the company of using its 'search monopoly to coerce schools' into adopting AI.

'Google is making clear it will punish those who don't fall in line,' she added, criticising the consequences for schools resisting the technology.

Her remarks followed wider concerns about AI in education, including whether chatbots encourage shortcuts on assignments or weaken students' ability to assess information independently.

Schools face questions not only about access to technology, but also about the role it should play in teaching.

Google says the policy responds to educators seeking greater control over classroom AI. Its announcement promises that administrators can decide which products to enable, although it does not offer Google Search without AI-generated features.

Khan's accusation does not establish that the new rules violate competition law. The reporting cited here does not identify a fresh regulatory enforcement action concerning these specific school-search restrictions.

The timetable also matters. Guided Learning began rolling out through Google Classroom on 3 November, and Google plans to pilot its Search version in selected US schools later in November.

The two wider Search options are expected in early 2027, giving districts time to review their policies before the changes take effect.