Google announced that starting next year, it will disable AI tools for K-12 students by default. School administrators will need to explicitly enable these features if they wish to use them. The update affects Gemini, NotebookLM, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search.
The company stated that AI features are now deeply integrated into Google Search. Consequently, schools that choose to restrict AI tools will lose access to the search engine entirely. Students in such institutions will see a notification indicating that search is unavailable.
Google vice president for education Chris Phillips noted that the company will provide further details to schools in the coming months to facilitate the transition. This policy aims to give school leaders control over AI usage in classrooms.
Alongside this change, Google is launching Guided Learning for schools. This tool functions as an AI tutor designed to help students build understanding rather than providing direct answers, addressing concerns that chatbots may undermine the learning process.
