The demonstration came a week after Google announced changes to its educational products on Nov. 3, including a pilot of a new AI-powered Guided Learning feature in Google Search. The tool is designed to walk students through problems step by step rather than simply supplying answers. But schools that want to disable the feature would risk losing access to regular Google Search altogether, according to the company's plans.

"Many parents and education workers want to be free from AI in the classroom, and Google is using its monopoly status to say, 'If you don't use our AI, you don't get to use our search engine,'" said Matt Bach, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

The protest was organized by several advocacy groups, including Distraction-Free Schools Massachusetts, Fairplay and the Massachusetts AI Action Network. Several parents attended with their school-aged children.

Beyond concerns about AI specifically, parents questioned how much technology belongs in the school day at all. Reena Shah, a parent from Needham, said she wants to see less screen time so children can strengthen their ability to learn, their memory and their attention spans.

Ian Halbert, a parent from Sudbury, said the issue is not whether children should learn about computing.

"It's not that kids shouldn't learn what computing is or how to use computers in some way," Halbert said. "It does not need to be involved in every element of the school day."

Educators also raised concerns about student privacy and safety. Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts and a Boston Public Schools parent, said families still lack clear answers about where student data goes when schools use these technologies. Tang said she attended a district webinar Tuesday night where questions remained about how Google's changes would affect students.

"We shouldn't have to guess and wonder, 'Well, I don't know, if my student is in school and using these technologies, where is the data going?'" Tang said.

In a statement, Google did not directly clarify whether schools could keep access to traditional Google Search without enabling its AI features. A company spokesperson said Google is "building these experiences in partnership with educators, listening closely to ensure our products support students and teachers."

AFT Massachusetts is now calling for statewide guardrails before schools enter into more contracts with large technology companies — a push that could shape how districts across the state negotiate their next round of education technology deals.

The protest highlights growing tension between one of the region's most powerful employers and the families and educators who rely on its products every day. With AI tools spreading rapidly through public education, parents and union leaders say they want transparency, choice and a say in what enters their children's classrooms.