AI Features on School Devices Draw Senate Scrutiny
Parents should check whether Gemini and other AI tools are switched on by default on their child's school device.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Two US senators, Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley, wrote to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking nine questions about Google's AI strategy in schools, including Gemini AI tools used by students. Some AI features are enabled by default on education devices, and students may not always be able to turn them off.
Why it matters
The senators said Google's growing presence in classrooms could put children's academic development and wellbeing at risk, which matters for families whose kids use school-issued devices every day. The letter followed a Wall Street Journal investigation that highlighted students becoming increasingly dependent on AI for schoolwork and personal support.
The senators posed nine questions to Google CEO Sundar Pichai about the company's AI strategy for schools. The Wall Street Journal investigation drew on interviews with more than 60 teachers, parents, students and medical professionals.
The players
Richard Blumenthal
US senator who co-signed the letter questioning Google's AI in classrooms.
Josh Hawley
US senator who co-signed the letter questioning Google's AI in classrooms.
Technology company whose education products, including Gemini AI, are used on school devices and which defended its tools to teachers.
The details
Some AI features are enabled by default on education devices, and students may not always be able to switch them off. In one reported case, a Pennsylvania eighth-grader used Google's Gemini for algebra homework and later struggled in a maths final. In another, a Maryland high school student reportedly developed an emotional connection with an AI chatbot. Google's education products include controls for teachers and administrators, and the company defended its tools as a way for teachers to solve classroom challenges.
Timeline
The senators' letter to Google was published on November 2, 2026.
The Home Front
Families increasingly rely on school-issued devices that come with AI features already switched on. This sits alongside a broader pattern of lawmakers pressing technology companies, through formal letters, on how their products affect children's learning and wellbeing.
If your child uses a school-issued device, check whether AI features like Gemini are turned on by default and ask the school what controls teachers and administrators have. Keep track of how your child uses AI for homework, and raise any concerns about dependence or emotional reliance with their school or a health professional.
The takeaway
AI tools are arriving on school devices by default, so families benefit from knowing what is switched on for their child. Ask your school how AI features are set up and which controls are available to you.
Further reading
For more on how schools are handling new classroom technology, see the Secondary Education section.
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Do you trust AI tools used in your child's school to be safe for learning?
