Google says schools disabling its AI will lose access to Search
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Google plans to disable tools including Gemini, NotebookLM, and Gemini in Classroom by default for K-12 student accounts. Administrators will be able to enable them, but schools that choose to keep AI disabled will also lose access to Google Search, Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president of education, told The New York Times. The company says Search and AI are deeply integrated.
The change follows consultations with educators, researchers, and policymakers, amid concerns about AI use in schools. Google also announced Guided Learning, a feature designed to help students build understanding rather than simply receive answers; The Verge reports it will be tested in select US schools. The decision drew criticism from officials including Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani, who questioned the company’s power over education.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
The decision ties access to Search to the activation of AI tools, increasing Google’s influence over schools’ technology choices. Criticism from officials also raises questions about how companies can condition access to essential education services on decisions about AI.