Google, Microsoft, Anthropic Escalate AI Push Into Classrooms

Axios reports that Anthropic, Google and Microsoft are launching aggressive new AI initiatives aimed at teachers and students, turning U.S. classrooms into the next major battleground for generative AI. Anthropic says it will bring its Claude tools and training to more than 100,000 educators in 63 countries through a Teach For All partnership, reaching an estimated 1.5 million students and giving teachers a direct role in shaping how the product evolves. Google is rolling out its most expansive education push yet, adding Gemini-powered SAT prep vetted with The Princeton Review, NotebookLM integration for blended research, and AI writing feedback via Khan Academy, all layered on top of the widely used Google Classroom ecosystem. Microsoft is offering free AI training, credentials and premium software for educators and college students, with scenario-based tools for tasks like reducing special-education paperwork and teaching AI concepts with Minecraft. Privacy and civil-liberties experts warn that while AI could help with workload and learning, Big Tech’s race for classroom dominance raises serious questions about FERPA’s largely unenforced student-data protections, long-term product lock‑in, and whether underfunded schools will be turned into captive markets rather than empowered to choose safe, effective tools.