Google announced Tuesday morning that it would switch off AI products by default for students in schools that use the technology giant’s education software. But those schools that forgo its AI services would also be cut off from Google Search.
The move comes after mounting criticism from advocacy groups and senators about the spread of Google’s AI services available in classrooms. Until Tuesday, its AI products — branded under the Gemini moniker — were automatically activated for schools using Google Classroom.
Google said Tuesday’s move would also cut off students’ access to Google Search if schools do not enable Gemini, given AI’s growing integration into the company’s search products.
Bye Felicia. Plenty of other search engines out there.
Bing has entered the chat. GoDuckGo has entered the chat.
Here’s what really happened:
“Later on Tuesday, after significant backlash to the announcement, Google said its policy would allow schools to enable the Search service alone, without turning on access to additional Gemini products. But schools would still not be able to use Search without certain AI features like AI-generated summaries, given AI’s growing integration into the company’s search functionality.”
Force install a plug in on all the school browsers that auto put a no Ai flag on the search query?
I mean. Cool.
I love this for the schools.
Also… remember this when google pushes “protecting the children” when it pushes for Id verification laws….
They’ll find out soon that there are other search engines out there.
That’s easy to say, but the reality is a bit muddier. I mean I’ve been using duck duck go for maybe six months now and you know what, I have a really hard time finding what I’m looking for. That said, Google is only a little bit better. I really don’t feel like any search engine I’ve used recently works really well.
And finally, nothing works as well at 2016 google search, that was probably peak web search.
I personally find DDG much better than Google and have been using it for about 5 years.
However, this year I took the bite and moved to Kagi and OMG what a difference. It is by far the best! I can’t go back now.
Kind of a tangent, but why am I being served ads for DuckDuckGos privacy focused AI? Where is the ad money coming from, how are they making money on this service enough to warrant an ad budget without stealing my data? Seems fishy.
If I recall correctly, and I might not so feel free to correct me, they basically sell ads at a discount relative to data miners like Google. They can’t target as well, so they don’t get to collect that premium, but they can still sell ads targeted at your search keywords.
I did a little more research since this comment and they also have paid tiers… But I am still skeptical if 10/20 bucks a month by whoever feels like paying actually covers costs and the advertising budget. Your ad thing makes it seem a little less sketchy.
Don’t theaten kids with a good time
hah, do it
Seriously - do you want an entire generation who knows how to live without Google search? Because that’s how you get an entire generation that knows alternatives to Google. This is a huge opportunity for the likes of Bing, DuckDuckGo, StartPage, etc…
This is a huge opportunity for the likes of Bing, DuckDuckGo, StartPage, etc…
Ah yes, Bing, Bing, and Bing
They use the bing’s index, they ain’t as bad as bing itself or google
Yeah I know. Still. The first several pages of results on any search engine at this point is just AI slop. It’s bothersome to a high degree.
I am sorry, Bing?!?
As a realistic choice for an educational partner? Yes, absolutely. I’m not saying you should use Bing or that it’s all that great, I’m saying that Microsoft should absolutely trying to eat Google’s lunch on this.
I see they’re well into the “Are we out of touch? No it’s our customers that are wrong” stage.
They know exactly what they’re doing.
Google search is too embedded in most things for schools to forego it. They’re strong arming the schools to use AI, while giving the illusion of choice
Why would google search be embedded? Like change the bookmark to ddg and you’re done right?
do Chromebooks even allow changing the homepage? also many schools use search “by Google” for searching their websites.
Google Workspace/Education tools might be, but search is a commodity now and Google’s is terrible now.
But yeah, I still think you’re right upon reflection.
Hey Google, did it ever occur to you that people will leave your ass over forced AI? I’m on GraphneOS now, out of Google Drive, and I’d like to be even further from Google.
Only a small percentage of people are willing to think and put some effort in, the zombie population continues to grow. That is one of the reasons why large corporations hardly even bother with customer service any more, customers are now expendable, every one that leaves, is immediately replaced with another.
Yeah, but what’s the longest you’ve let a gym membership run without actually going to the gym?
I was going 6 times a week until someone did my back in at work, thank you for your enquiry :P
You’re one of the few. If I ask 10 people out on the street what they use, it’s Google. I’d sooner find a vegan than even a duckduckgo user. Also, veganism didn’t change the world either, meat industry going strong. This thinking isn’t helping your cause, you need to consider what would actually change things.
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you can’t tell me, anywhere in that comment, I said “stop voting with your wallet”? Is that all you got from that? How about this: once upon a time, we used to shut down a local cafe who made a racist/homophobic comment by not buying their food. Now, we have a big corporation everyone uses. Sure, keep telling everyone to choose an alternative, but this will never, ever, EVER be enough for Google to care because for every 1 new convert to Mailbox.org you make (generous), there’s 2 people in India, Thailand, Nigeria, who just made a gmail. Why do you think they care they lost you? This is never going to be enough. Do you also send complaint letters to Google? If no, why not? It’s about as powerful as you switching to Proton.
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*2 people in the usa, uk etc
“It’s about as powerful as you switching to Proton” lol
The meat industry is not just “going strong”. Tge meat industry owns the vegan industrie. Every major vegan brand is owned by a major meat company.
Every major processed plant based brand in the usa is no doubt owned by corpse lords, but they don’t own food itself… although monsanto has been trying to do just that for decades.
Exactly… that’s why I think this commentary “I vote with my wallet” is tiresome. I think we are long past that as something that can be weaponized against corps who are basically as powerful as the government now.
While yes, in a “vote with your wallet” competition, corpos have more money than people, but people can still and absolutely should boycott whatever they can.
People should always strive to at least try. You don’t need to be the perfect, wokest soldier every day, but making an effort to find alternatives and educate yourself and others is always worth it.
That is a terrible attitude, apathy is evils best friend.
This thinking isn’t helping your cause
What thinking are you referring to, from the comment to which you’re responding?
Good - you’ll be doing those kids a favor. And there’s certainly more and better search engines out there. Google can go outside and play hide and go fuck itself.
Oh no! Now students will have to… checks notes … use a good search engine.
I grew up in the wild west days, and we were explicitly told never to just trust one search engine and to try a couple and pay attention to differences…
Like, Google is seriously shooting themselves in the foot here, and we need to understand the reason they’re willing to do this, is getting kids hooked on AI means they’re always going to need AI.
It legitimately changes how brains work, and shoving it down k-12’s throat in school is doing a lot of damage
That is what google et al want, they want zombies, they do not want free thinkers. None of this is by accident, and the userbase/population is so large now that they are unlikely to fail in creating dystopia. The very wrong people are in charge.
I legitimately don’t know how you read my comment and missed that it implied everything you “added” already…
I wasn’t arguing with you cowgirl.
Gemini suuuuucks. It’s barely better than copilot. You’d think Google, of all companies, would have seemless integration with their main apps, like maps or Google search, but they don’t.
They’ve copied the hamfisted shoehorning of Microslop and are just trying to force people to use a shitty product they don’t want.
I see this as a win. They’ll learn how to research the manual way.
I know Google’s competition has a tiny percentage of their market share, but do they really think people won’t find the competition if they have a good enough reason?
Some will, most won’t (in general)
A large issue these days is that things often need to ‘go viral’ to change, and unfortunately (due to marketing) they often tend to go viral in the wrong direction
I have no idea why anyone would continue to use google now, but so many do
The stupider children are, the easier it is to brainwash them. This is what religion has been doing for decades. Intelligent Humans are a danger to con men.
