Google will disable access to its search engine and AI tools for K-12 students in schools that choose not to enable the company’s artificial intelligence services, the company announced Tuesday.
The policy change applies to Google Classroom users, where Gemini AI tools—including Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Gemini in Classroom—will remain off by default unless school administrators explicitly activate them. Schools that opt out of these AI services will also lose access to Google Search for student accounts, Google confirmed.
What changed
Previously, Google’s AI tools were automatically enabled for schools using Google Classroom. Under the new policy, administrators must proactively turn on AI features, and opting out will result in the loss of search functionality for students. Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president and general manager of education, stated in a blog post that the change was designed to give schools greater control over AI integration in classrooms.
“We believe schools should have control over AI in their classrooms and in providing administrators with controls to help them manage their approach,” Phillips wrote.
Reactions and concerns
The decision has drawn criticism from education advocates who argue Google is using its dominance in education software to pressure schools into adopting AI tools. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called the move “unfortunate” and accused Google of prioritizing business interests over children’s education.
“Instead of working with teachers and parents to uphold privacy and ensure their tools are safe and useful, it throws the baby out with the bathwater and bans access to the tools altogether,” Weingarten said in a statement to NBC News.
Josh Golin, executive director of the advocacy group Fairplay, similarly criticized Google’s approach, stating that the company is attempting to “strong-arm schools into using its AI products.”
Company rationale
Google did not respond to requests for further clarification on the policy’s long-term goals or whether the restriction applies to all Google education products beyond Classroom. The company’s announcement emphasized administrative control as the primary motivation for the change, framing it as a measure to align AI adoption with school policies.
Scope and implications
The policy affects K-12 student accounts using Google’s education software, including Google Search and AI tools integrated into Classroom. Schools that do not enable AI features will see these services disabled for their students, though the exact timeline for enforcement was not specified in the announcement. The move reflects growing scrutiny over AI’s role in education and the increasing integration of such tools into core digital services.