U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley have formally questioned Alphabet about the potential effects of its AI products on children’s learning and emotional health in schools.
The inquiry follows a Wall Street Journal report describing students who developed emotional and academic dependence on AI tools used in classrooms. The senators asked what Google knows about these risks and why it made AI a default feature on educational devices.
The letter to CEO Sundar Pichai has renewed scrutiny of AI use involving children and concerns that overreliance on the tools could change traditional education. Alphabet shares fell approximately 2% during trading on October 21, 2026, amid the governmental scrutiny.