Google to switch off Gemini and Search for K-12 students unless schools opt in
Schools that keep the AI tools off would also lose Google Search, a trade-off that has drawn sharp criticism from US officials.
The 30-second read
- Google will turn off Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search for K-12 student accounts until administrators switch them on.
- Schools that keep the AI features disabled will also lose Google Search, which has angered some US politicians.
- The changes roll out next year, while Guided Learning arrives in Classroom worldwide starting now.
IllustrationGoogle announced on Tuesday (Nov 3) that AI tools will be off by default for K-12 student accounts. This covers Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search. They stay off until school administrators explicitly turn them on. The changes roll out next year, and Google will share details in the coming months.
There is a catch. Schools that disable Google's AI features will lose Google Search as well. Chris Phillips, vice president of education at Google, explained the link: "Search and AI are deeply integrated". He also said students "will not have access to Search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available."
Reaction was sharp, as first reported by The Verge. Sen. Bernie Sanders called the move "extortion". NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said "no corporation should have the power to dictate how we teach our children." Rohit Chopra, California Secretary of Business & Consumer Services, wrote that Big Tech shouldn't be able to "strong-arm schools". Google says the aim is to "give schools more choice, not less".
Google is also bringing Guided Learning to schools. It is available globally in Classroom starting today. A pilot inside Search for student accounts begins in select US schools later this month. The tool coaches students through problems instead of handing over answers. Google had earlier turned Gemini on by default in Classroom, and lawmakers pressed the company last month on possible harms of AI in schools.
Why it matters
More than 150 million teachers and students worldwide use Classroom, so Google's choices shape how AI reaches classrooms. The sources give no India-specific details, but Guided Learning in Classroom is available globally.
