Google’s turning off search for schools that opt out of AI

AI and search, a combo deal: Starting early next year, Google will turn off its AI tools for schools that don’t want them — but if they turn off AI entirely they’ll lose the Google search engine too, The New York Times reports.

The argument: It’s not practical for the company to offer search but turn off AI because the two are now “deeply integrated,” says Chris Phillips, who runs Google’s education business. No fair: Lina Khan, the former head of the US Federal Trade Commission, says Google is using its dominance in search to pressure schools into accepting its AI.

McCollusion? Speaking of combos, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, and several members of the House of Representatives are demanding answers from McDonald’s about how the fast food chain is using AI to determine “optimal pricing” for menu items. The AI tools may be helping McDonald’s franchisees collude on pricing rather than competing, the lawmakers warn, raising prices for consumers.

Burger joints used to be great in movies, back when they were classy places — think Mel’s Drive-in from American Graffiti. But, by the ‘90s, they were mostly dreary and grungy. Clerks II got the dreariness and grunginess about perfect.

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