Google’s school AI deal is a fork: keep Gemini or lose Search

Google said Tuesday that its AI products will be disabled by default for K-12 student accounts unless administrators explicitly enable them, but schools seeking a complete AI ban will also have to disable Google Search, a service used by millions of students for research. Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president and general manager of education, said during a meeting with educators that “Search and AI are deeply integrated,” according to Education Week.

Administrators will be able to activate or disable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Search individually. Schools can therefore block standalone chatbots while retaining Search, but they cannot remove AI from Search itself. Google said the changes are intended to address concerns that AI chatbots can undermine learning by giving students ready-made answers instead of encouraging them to solve problems themselves.

Beginning in early 2027, schools that enable Search will be offered versions with conventional AI features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, or the education-focused Guided Learning experience, according to The New York Times. Neither option provides the traditional search experience without generative AI, meaning teachers who want students to research sources without AI-generated answers must look beyond Google Search.

The policy has prompted criticism that Google is leveraging its position in education to push AI adoption. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused the company of “trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools,” according to CBS News. Former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan similarly accused Google of using its search monopoly to coerce schools into adopting AI. New York City has imposed a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI through eighth grade, covering nearly 600,000 students, while Los Angeles has also restricted the technology. Los Angeles officials had hoped to preserve Google Search while removing AI-generated summaries, an option unavailable under the newly announced controls.