TLC Lab Director Dr. Adam Dubé was featured on CBC’s The National to discuss Google's decision to require schools to accept AI-integrated search features or lose access to the full functionality of Google Search.

The announcement has raised concerns about schools' ability to control students’ exposure to generative artificial intelligence. Although Google will allow educational institutions to disable certain AI applications, including Gemini and NotebookLM, schools seeking to retain full access to Google Search will be unable to opt out of its integrated AI features.

Dr. Dubé highlighted the difficult position this creates for schools, many of which have become heavily dependent on Google's educational ecosystem, including Chromebooks, Google Workspace, and its search engine. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in these technologies, schools may have limited practical options for restricting its use, even when they have concerns about its effects on student learning.

The interview raises broader questions about the influence of technology companies over educational environments and the extent to which schools can make independent, evidence-based decisions about AI adoption. It also underscores the importance of ensuring that educators retain meaningful control over the technologies students encounter in classrooms.

Dr. Dubé's participation reflects the TLC Lab's ongoing research and policy engagement concerning generative AI in education, its implications for children's learning, and the need for greater accountability in the design and deployment of educational technologies.