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Google said Tuesday that Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search will stay off for K-12 student accounts until administrators turn them on, a change due next year.
Search is on that list because Google will not offer it without AI: students at schools that leave AI off would see a message that Search is unavailable. "Search and AI are deeply integrated," said Chris Phillips, Google's vice president for education.
The same post launched Guided Learning, a tutor-style mode, in Classroom worldwide, with a Search pilot in some US schools later this month.
The opt-out therefore costs a school its search engine, and few districts will pay that.
Google will turn AI off by default for K-12 students, and schools that refuse it lose Search
Google said Tuesday that Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search will stay off for K-12 student accounts until administrators turn them on, a change due next year. Search is on that list because Google will not offer it without AI: students at schools that leave AI off would see a message that Search is unavailable. "Search and AI are deeply integrated," said Chris Phillips, Google's vice president for education. The same post launched Guided Learning, a tutor-style mode, in Classroom worldwide, with a Search pilot in some US schools later this month. The opt-out therefore costs a school its search engine, and few districts will pay that. SourcesAB
Sources
- AAI learning era updates (Google)blog.google
- BGoogle will let schools disable its AI tools, but not without sacrificing Search (TechCrunch)techcrunch.com
This story ran in the Afternoon Brief of November 3rd 2026.