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.

  • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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    1 minute ago

    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….

  • Etterra@discuss.online
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    15 hours ago

    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.

  • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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    17 hours ago

    I see they’re well into the “Are we out of touch? No it’s our customers that are wrong” stage.

    • Taldan@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      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

      • VAK@lemmy.world
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        8 hours ago

        Why would google search be embedded? Like change the bookmark to ddg and you’re done right?

      • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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        12 hours ago

        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.

    • JonEFive@piefed.social
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      11 hours ago

      Seriously - do you want an entire generation who knows hos 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…

      • Lka1988@sh.itjust.works
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        9 hours ago

        This is a huge opportunity for the likes of Bing, DuckDuckGo, StartPage, etc…

        Ah yes, Bing, Bing, and Bing

        • JonEFive@piefed.social
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          10 hours ago

          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.

  • dan1101@lemmy.world
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    18 hours ago

    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.

    • dusk@piefed.social
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      8 hours ago

      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.

    • xemi@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      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.

        • xemi@lemmy.world
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          16 hours ago

          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.

      • whalesnrainbows@lemmy.world
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        11 hours ago

        This thinking isn’t helping your cause

        What thinking are you referring to, from the comment to which you’re responding?

      • abbadon420@sh.itjust.works
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        16 hours ago

        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.

        • dusk@piefed.social
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          8 hours ago

          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.

        • xemi@lemmy.world
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          16 hours ago

          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.

  • zib@lemmy.world
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    18 hours ago

    Oh no! Now students will have to… checks notes … use a good search engine.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      18 hours ago

      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

      • dusk@piefed.social
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        8 hours ago

        That is what google et al want though, 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.

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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          4 hours ago

          I legitimately don’t know how you read my comment and missed that it implied everything you “added” already…

  • sartalon@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    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.

  • ceenote@lemmy.world
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    18 hours ago

    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?

    • dusk@piefed.social
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      8 hours ago

      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

  • Zier@fedia.io
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    18 hours ago

    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.

  • HeyJoe@lemmy.world
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    17 hours ago

    Thats some balls. Was that really a threat? Your offering services to students and got hurt when they don’t want to be forced into using something they never wanted and something that will just give the company more info on them.

    I kind of love when they get to this size, because this is where the things come out that contradict who they say they are and you really get to see what they care about. I just hope people see this and find new tools to use.