Google will turn off its AI products by default for K-12 student accounts, requiring school administrators to opt in before students can use them. But schools that choose not to enable AI may also lose access to Google Search, according to the company’s announcement.

The change reverses an August decision that automatically enabled Google’s AI products in Classroom. Google’s vice president and general manager of education, Chris Phillips, said the company was updating controls for Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search after hearing from schools, teachers, researchers and policymakers.

For student accounts where Search is enabled, Gemini will include Guided Learning, an interactive tool designed to lead students through homework problems step by step instead of giving direct answers. Google plans to test the feature at select US schools later this month before considering a wider rollout.

The policy has drawn criticism because Search remains linked to AI features. A Google spokesperson said schools can enable Gemini, Gemini Notebook or Search individually, but the company’s statement did not address whether schools can disable AI Overviews and AI Mode while keeping Search available. A Google spokesperson did not immediately respond to a further request for comment.

The issue matters to districts that depend on Google’s services and devices. Google has said more than 150 million teachers and students worldwide use Classroom and Assignments. A 2025 New York Times survey of the 20 largest US school districts found that around 80% of teachers said their district provided students with Chromebooks, where Google Search is the default search engine.

New York City Public Schools, the country’s largest public school district, referred questions to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who criticized Google’s decision on X, arguing that a technology company should not dictate how public schools teach. Los Angeles Unified, the second-largest district, said it is reviewing the announcement and its possible effects. The district said AI can support teaching and learning when introduced responsibly, with safeguards for privacy, security, equity and educators’ role.

Ying Xu, an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and director of its Child-Centered AI Lab, said Guided Learning might reduce some risks associated with general-purpose AI. However, she questioned whether students would still be able to practise using traditional search engines. Her research examines how searching differs from asking AI, including how students form queries, assess information and combine material from multiple sources.

Xu also warned that districts with greater resources and technical expertise may be better equipped to make decisions about AI, potentially widening inequalities. She said leaving Google entirely may not be practical for districts already reliant on its systems, and that support for schools will be important.

Jennifer L. Steele, a professor at American University’s Baker School of Education, said schools remain responsible for protecting students’ opportunities to learn from teachers and peers. She cautioned against relying on AI tools such as Guided Learning as a substitute for that human-led education.

Former Google managing director Tracy Pizzo Frey said Google could let schools turn off AI Overviews while preserving Search. DuckDuckGo, by comparison, offers an AI-free search option. A company spokesperson said Google controls when its AI Overviews appear.

The debate reflects a shift from whether AI belongs in schools to how schools should manage specific tools and under what conditions. Experts say educators will need to set their own approach rather than rely on technology companies to make those decisions for them.

Sources: CNET.