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TECH EYE NOVEMBER 20, 2026 | The Indian Eye 36

Google May Restrict Learning Platform
AI-Powered

Search Access for Students Understand Human
Enables Robots to

at Schools Rejecting AI Instructions

esearchers from the Massa-
chusetts Institute of Tech-
oogle’s reported move to link access to its search Rnology (MIT) and New York
services with the use of artificial intelligence (AI)
Gin schools has raised questions about the grow- University (NYU) have developed
an artificial intelligence-powered
ing influence of technology companies in education. The platform that enables robots to un-
development highlights the debate over whether schools derstand the underlying meaning of
should adopt AI tools or retain traditional teaching human instructions rather than simply
methods. following commands word for word.
Under the revised policy, access to Gemini, Gemi-
ni Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search The new system, called FLEX, aims to
make human-robot interaction more
will remain disabled for K-12 student accounts until natural, efficient and intuitive.
school administrators explicitly activate them. However, The research introduces a flexible
schools that choose to block Google’s AI tools will also feature-editing pipeline designed to
lose access to its search engine, as the company says the improve robotic motion planning. The
two technologies are closely integrated. findings are scheduled to be presented
Google said the changes were introduced after dis- educators and policymakers, blaming Google of using
cussions with schools, teachers, researchers and policy- its dominance in online search to pressure schools into at the annual Conference on Robot
Learning.
makers. The company aims to give school administrators adopting AI. Child rights advocates have also raised con- FLEX uses a large language
greater control over how AI is used in classrooms. cerns about the impact of AI on children’s learning, criti- model (LLM), including GPT-4o,
Google is also introducing a feature called ‘Guided cal thinking and development.
Learning’, designed to help students understand con- Google says the updated controls will allow schools to to interpret human instructions and
identify broader patterns. The plat-
cepts through step-by-step guidance rather than provid- decide which services students can access. The develop- form operates through three stages:
ing direct answers. The feature aims to encourage inde- ment has renewed debate over the role of technology com- Add, Generalize and Mask. First, it
pendent thinking and problem-solving. panies in education and whether schools should have to records objects explicitly mentioned
The decision has, however, drawn criticism from adopt AI to retain access to essential digital learning tools.
in a command. Next, the language
model identifies shared characteristics
and generalises the instruction to sim-
Technology led Rs 4,371-Crore VISTAR Scheme ilar objects. Finally, computer vision
helps remove objects that are no lon-
To Modernise India’s Statistical System ger present in the environment.
For example, when a robot car-
rying coffee is instructed, “Don’t spill
on the laptop,” it can infer that other
he Union Cabinet, chaired of Statistics and Programme Imple- unorganised sector and create a Na- electronic devices, such as a nearby
by Prime Minister Naren- mentation (MoSPI) plans to conduct tional Statistical Business Register to mobile phone, should also be avoid-
Tdra Modi, has approved a Rs 59 surveys during the 16th Finance support better economic planning. ed. This allows the robot to adjust its
4,371.10-crore scheme to modernise Commission period, compared with The government also plans to movement without requiring addi-
India’s official statistical system, im- 43 major surveys conducted earli- use alternative data sources, in- tional instructions.
prove data collection and make gov- er. These surveys will help identify cluding mobile phone, scanner and According to the researchers, the
ernment statistics more accurate, gaps in different sectors and provide e-commerce data, alongside tradi- process takes approximately five sec-
timely and technology-driven. The policymakers with more reliable in- tional surveys. This is expected to onds and has been tested in simulated
Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical formation for planning and deci- reduce the burden on respondents environments involving tasks with cof-
Transformation, Analytics and Re- sion-making. while filling important data gaps. fee, candles and bowling balls.
search (VISTAR) will be implement- The scheme has three major Additionally, the scheme will The development addresses a
ed over five years, from 2026-27 to components: comprehensive statisti- strengthen state-level statistical major challenge in robotics: under-
2030-31. cal operations and strengthening of systems and improve district-level standing implicit human preferences
The scheme aims to create a the ecosystem, Support for Statistical economic estimates. It will also en- and common-sense expectations. Tra-
future-ready statistical framework Strengthening (SSS) for states and courage research and provide oppor- ditional robotic systems often require
by integrating Artificial Intelligence Union Territories, and the Economic tunities for students through intern- highly specific instructions, placing
(AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Census. ships and research projects. the burden on users to explain every
digital technologies into data collec- A key part of the initiative will be Aligned with the Viksit Bharat detail.
tion, processing and analysis. It is the eighth Economic Census, which 2047 vision, VISTAR seeks to build FLEX could have significant
also expected to improve the avail- will collect information on non-farm a modern, integrated and AI-ready implications for the development of
ability of detailed data and support establishments and their workers up statistical system to support more household and assistive robots, par-
evidence-based policymaking. to the Gram Panchayat and ward lev- informed governance and targeted ticularly in environments where safety
Under VISTAR, the Ministry els. The exercise will help assess the development policies. and adaptability are essential.

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