Google announced on Tuesday that it will disable Google Search and its AI tools by default for K-12 student accounts, leaving schools that reject AI entirely without Search access.
School administrators can activate Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Search separately. However, Google’s search engine will retain its built-in AI features, even when schools disable the company’s other AI products.
Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president of education, explained the restriction in comments to The New York Times. “Search and AI are deeply integrated,” Phillips said.
Schools that prohibit AI entirely will therefore lose access to Search through student accounts. Google plans to display a message explaining that the service is unavailable.
The company announced the changes after educators and policymakers demanded greater control over classroom AI tools. Google had previously enabled Gemini by default in its Classroom platform in August.
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Its latest decision reverses that approach by requiring administrators to activate the services. The announcement drew criticism from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who accused Google of trying to force AI into public schools.
Mamdani argued that corporations should not determine how children receive their education. Public schools in New York City and Los Angeles have already restricted generative AI for many students.
Google defended its approach, arguing that administrators would have greater control over which services students could use.
The company is also introducing Guided Learning features in Search. These tools aim to help students solve homework problems step by step rather than simply providing answers.
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AI Overviews and AI Mode will remain part of the search experience available to schools that enable the service. Google said it would provide schools with further implementation details in the coming months before introducing the new controls.
With input from CNN
