The conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom has sparked many debates, questions, and interpretations about how we should use AI. Although we have all heard and been warned about the use of AI, like ChatGPT, in school, one falls out of the mix of easily accessible AI tools, Google’s AI Overview. The talk about the usefulness of AI Overview has gained lots of traction in the waning weeks of the school year. However, AI Overview and Google Gemini are not to be mixed up. The overview uses features of Gemini to create summaries and answer inquiry questions, while Gemini is similar to the sense of ChatGPT that they are built as chatbots and answer questions with hyper realistic human qualities. Yet, the most important part for students is that they are blocked on devices that are logged in under school-issued accounts. This begs a lot of questions: Why allow AI Overview? Can schools do anything to stop AI Overview from being on Chromebooks? How does this affect student performance and views of AI resources for students?
AI Overview was introduced in May 2024, with the US being the first to experience it. A new Chrome extension helped to introduce the AI summarizing tool on devices that run Chrome, such as a Chromebook. The extension came out in January 2025 and has been a lifesaver for students who need quick and reliable answers.
“It definitely has helped a lot with late night homework. I utilize that instead of trying to go through endless lists of websites and other sources for work,” said Aidan Garcia (12).
However, this brings back the question of AI in the classroom. If students can get quick and easy answers off a Google search, then is that considered cheating? If it were so, why hasn’t it been quickly banned or discouraged by teachers and administrators alike?
“I see it as a perfectly allowable tool because regardless when you type into Google that overview comes up whether we ask for it or not, you can’t block it at all,” said Chemistry and Forensics teacher Mr. Robert Ly.
The introduction of AI Overview on school issued Chromebooks has posed a challenge for administrators or teachers who may dislike the feature, as AI Overview cannot be blocked or restricted. Google has made it known that AI Overview is here to stay and will increasingly get better and better without any word of making it a “blockable” option. This gives students freedom to use AI Overview as much as they would like, which is a blessing for students but a possible curse for teachers.
“There’s two types of teachers. There are people who embrace AI and kind of use it to improve their teaching and assist students, and other teachers that just completely don’t like it for what it is,” said Garcia.
With the inability to block the AI Overview tool on Google searches, it leaves teachers and students to deal with this looming issue. While the use of AI Overview gives students freedom to utilize or discourage it, this leaves teachers to have their own viewpoints on it as well. Some may preach the benefits of AI as a study tool, whilst some may see AI as an evil that ruins the minds of students and hurts student work ethic.
“I think there is a certain amount of trust. I think the biggest thing that has gotten overlooked with the whole AI issues, it’s been either do it or don’t do it, but we haven’t really had conversations about how to ethically,” said Engineering and Architecture teacher Mr. Michael Collins.
AI Overview is Google’s newest innovation in the world of AI. Though not a website, nor does it fall under the direct definition of AI, it opens more avenues for interpretation and leaves more new questions. Students can see the use of AI Overview as a huge win in their studies and work habits, whilst simultaneously posing more issues for teachers navigating an era of technological advancement in the classroom.
