Technology
Google Turns Its AI Off by Default for School Accounts, and Search Goes With It
Gemini, NotebookLM and Search will be off for K-12 student accounts until administrators opt in, but there is no version of Search without AI features, Google confirmed.
Google will turn its AI tools off by default for school accounts, the company announced on November 3, in a shift that also affects student access to Search itself.
Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search will be entirely off for K-12 student accounts until administrators explicitly turn them on, Google Vice President and General Manager of Education Chris Phillips announced.
Google later clarified that schools can turn services on individually, but there is no version of Search without AI Overviews or AI Mode. A school that rejects AI entirely therefore also loses student Search access, a trade-off that has drawn attention from educators.
Guided Learning, which coaches students step by step instead of giving answers, became globally available in Google Classroom on November 3. Guided Learning in Search starts as a pilot in select U.S. schools later in November.
The new default-off controls are reported to take effect in early 2027, with Google saying it will share more specifics with schools in the coming months.
Reporting: MediaNama
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