Google Gives Schools More AI Control, But Requires AI for Search

Google announced changes to its AI offerings for schools that it said will give administrators more control over the technology—but that also will require those wanting to use its search service to use an AI-enhanced version.

Under the new policy, access to Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Google Search will be off by default for K-12 student accounts, leaving it up to school administrators to turn them on, Chris Phillips, Google vice president and general manager of education, said in a blog post Tuesday. Schools can choose to turn on one or more of the services individually.

Google also is building into search and Google Classroom a feature called Guided Learning that aims to coach students through problem solving rather than simply provide answers. In search, for example, if Google detects a student has pasted in an assignment, its AI Mode and AI Overviews will walk them through the task step-by-step, the company said in a separate post on X.

Schools will only have the option of using this version of search, however—there won’t be an option that doesn’t include those AI features, the company told news outlets. Because search and AI are deeply integrated, if a school bans AI, students “will not have access to search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available,” the New York Times cited Phillips as saying.