Google announced on Tuesday that it plans to turn off its AI tools by default for students from kindergarten through Grade 12 starting next year, unless school administrators explicitly switch them on.
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The company said the decision follows consultations with schools, teachers, leading researchers and policymakers. As a result, Google is reconsidering its approach to Gemini, NotebookLM and Gemini in Classroom, as well as Google Search.
The decision means that schools choosing to restrict AI completely will no longer be able to access Google Search, because AI features are built into the search engine itself.
Chris Phillips, Google's vice president for education, told The New York Times that "search and AI have become tightly integrated." He explained that if a school chooses to restrict AI entirely, students will not be able to access the search engine and will see a message from their school saying the service is unavailable.
The change puts schools in a difficult position. Teachers may not want students using Google's "AI Overviews" feature for research or homework, but they probably still want students to be able to use search to find sources and other learning materials.
However, Google Search and the AI features built into it are now inseparable.
Google's dominance in the classroom, with its apps and the widespread use of Chromebooks, highlights how much influence the company has in the education sector.
Schools that want to keep using Google Search will therefore have to accept the AI features built into it.
In a post on Google's official blog, Phillips wrote: "We will share more details with schools over the coming months, before the changes take effect, so they have enough time to prepare and ensure a smooth transition."
He added: "Our goal is simple: to give school leaders control and confidence in using AI products in the classroom in the way they see fit."
Google announced the expected change at the same time as the launch of Guided Learning in schools. The company unveiled the tool earlier this year. It works like an AI-powered private tutor, designed to help users build a deep understanding of topics rather than simply giving them direct answers.
The launch comes amid growing concern that AI chatbots may undermine learning, because they tend to provide ready-made, direct answers rather than encouraging students to think, analyse and reach solutions themselves.
