When Search Acts as a Tutor: Competition Policy in the AI Age for Public Education

AI is turning “search” into a default tutor in schools
Antitrust helps, but it moves too slowly for education
Open standards and portability keep schools from lock-in

Competition policy in the age of AI is now education policy: It must influence how learning tools are acquired, integrated, and changed—not simply penalize dominant companies. As of December 2025, Google held approximately 90.8% of the global search market, demonstrating its central role in how people find answers. However, the nature of search is changing.