Google has announced a policy shift regarding its educational tools, allowing school administrators to disable artificial intelligence features for K-12 student accounts. However, the company confirmed that schools choosing to deactivate these AI tools will simultaneously lose access to Google Search.
The updated policy marks a change from previous settings, as AI-integrated products like the Gemini assistant will now be disabled by default until administrators explicitly enable them. Google officials stated that search and AI are now deeply integrated within their platforms, making it impossible to separate the two functions.
The decision follows increasing pressure from educators and policymakers concerned about the impact of AI on student development and safety. Several school districts have already implemented bans on generative AI tools to mitigate potential risks.
Google intends to implement a guided learning approach, where AI systems prompt students to work through problems step-by-step rather than providing immediate answers. The company plans to provide further technical details to schools in the coming months to facilitate the transition.
The move has drawn criticism from some officials, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who argued that corporations should not dictate teaching methods in schools.
