Google allows schools to disable AI, but they will also lose search services after doing so

On Tuesday, Google announced that its AI products will be disabled by default for K-12 student accounts unless school administrators actively enable them. However, schools that wish to completely disable AI must also turn off Google Search, which is a tool that millions of students rely on for their daily research. Chris Phillips, Vice President and General Manager of Google Education, stated during a meeting with educators that Search and AI are deeply integrated, and schools that are uncomfortable with AI can choose not to enable Search at all.

Google stated that administrators can enable or disable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Search separately. This means that schools can block the standalone chatbot while retaining the search function, but they cannot remove AI from the search itself. According to The New York Times, starting in early 2027, schools that enable Search will receive versions with regular AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, or an education-focused Guided Learning experience, neither of which will offer a traditional search experience without generative AI.

The announcement has sparked criticism. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Google of trying to impose AI on public schools using its monopoly power; former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan also criticized Google for using its search monopoly to force schools to adopt AI. Currently, New York City has implemented a one-year generative AI ban for students in eighth grade and below, affecting nearly 600,000 students, while Los Angeles has also restricted the technology, with local officials originally hoping to retain Google Search and remove AI summaries. In 2024, a federal court ruled that Google illegally monopolized the U.S. search market.