Google will switch off its AI tools for schoolchildren by default after drawing criticism for pushing artificial intelligence features to students while schools still debate how to use the technology in classrooms.
The search engine giant dominates technology in American schools. Its education apps, including Gmail, Docs and the Classroom platform, reach classrooms across the country, and its low-cost Chromebook laptops remain the devices US schools most often issue to students.
Google announces worldwide rollout
The company announced the changes in a blog post on Tuesday. Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search will now remain switched off for K-12 student accounts until school administrators turn them on.
Google told AFP the new controls will roll out worldwide, beginning in the United States, but has not yet set a date.
The changes mean schools cannot give students Google Search without its AI features.
Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president for education, told The New York Times that “Search and AI are deeply integrated,” as AI features are now built into the company’s search engine.
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,” he said.
Politicians and schools push back
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Google on X of “trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools.”
“No corporation should have the power to dictate how we teach our children,” he wrote.
More than 150 million students worldwide use Google Classroom, according to a letter Senators Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley sent to the company last month asking why AI features had become the default on school devices.
In August, Google opened its Gemini chatbot in Classroom to students of all ages.
Students saw starter prompts tied to their specific class and assignment, offering guided help or study guides, practice quizzes and flashcards built from their course materials.
The feature switched on by default for students at schools that had already enabled Gemini.
School districts review the changes
New York and Los Angeles both announced plans in September to restrict access to AI tools on school devices.
“We are reviewing Google’s announcement and its potential implications for schools, educators and students,” a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District told AFP.
The spokesperson said the district believes AI can improve teaching and learning if introduced carefully and with clear safeguards, and pointed to district principles requiring that technology support rather than replace teachers and protect student privacy.
New York City Public Schools are seeking more details from Google about the policy change, but the Gemini chatbot and AI mode are already disabled on Chromebooks used by students in NYC, a spokesperson for the district told AFP.
“NYCPS has also made requests to Google to disable the AI Overview displayed in the Google search result for students,” the spokesperson said.
In a statement on X, Google said Tuesday’s changes give “schools more choice, not less.”
“We know there’s concern about students using AI to shortcut schoolwork, and schools have told us they want control,” Google said.
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