Google to schools: Keep our AI turned on, or lose access to Search

Google is making it easier for K-12 schools that use its products to control what AI tools kids can access. However, if schools opt to turn off AI entirely, they’ll lose access to Google Search. The company announced the changes in a post on its education blog, where it also unveiled a new AI tool to help guide student learning in Google Search.

“Search and A.I. are deeply integrated,” said Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president for education, in a statement to The New York Times. He added that, 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.”

Recently, parents and some educators have been vocal about pushing back against AI in classrooms. In September, both New York and Los Angeles announced plans to restrict access to AI tools on school devices. Google says its updated policies aim to give schools more control over students’ AI use — but removing access to Google Search if schools turn off AI entirely may put administrators in a bind.

The move reflects Google’s priorities in recent years as it has sought to integrate AI across its products. The most visible manifestation is in Google Search, where the company’s AI Overviews appear at the top of most search results now, pulling information to ostensibly help answer questions directly on the search results page.

The company is eager to bring some of those same AI capabilities to classrooms. “We believe AI products should support ‘productive struggle’ — enabling students to be actively challenged without getting so overwhelmed that they give up. That’s the philosophy behind Guided Learning,” Google said in its blog post, referring to the tool it’s bringing to Search and Google Classroom in schools. 

In a statement to The New York Times, Lina Khan, the former chair of the Federal Trade Commission under the Biden administration, said Google is using its position to “coerce schools” into using AI. “As the public increasingly pushes back against the use of AI in schools, Google is making clear it will punish those who don’t fall in line.”

In a post on X posted later on Tuesday, Google sought to clarify its plans. “We want to clarify what we announced today about our education services. Today’s announcements give schools more choice, not less.” The company added that Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search will be off by default. Schools can then choose to turn on “one, two, or all of these services individually.”

Google has yet to respond to Yahoo’s request for comment.