Google links student search access to school AI adoption

Google announced on Tuesday that it will block K-12 students from using its search engine if their school district chooses to disable the company's artificial intelligence tools. The policy change takes effect immediately for accounts where administrators have not explicitly enabled AI features.

The Mountain View, California-based tech giant stated that access to Google Search, Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Gemini in Classroom will be automatically turned off for student accounts until school administrators activate them. Previously, the company made Gemini the default option for many students using Google Classroom in August.

Chris Phillips, Google's vice president and general manager for education, explained the shift in a blog post. He said the company believes schools should control AI in their classrooms. Phillips wrote that the new settings provide administrators with the tools needed to manage their approach to technology.

The move follows backlash from educators and parents who opposed the August decision to enable Gemini for students from kindergarten through high school. Before that change, Google restricted the chatbot to users aged 18 and older. The company claims 150 million students and teachers globally use its Google Classroom platform, with many relying on Chromebooks provided by schools.

Critics argued that the new policy leverages Google's dominance in search to pressure schools into adopting AI. Lina Khan, former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, posted on social media that Google is using its monopoly to coerce districts. She stated that the company is punishing schools that do not align with its strategy as public opposition grows.

Josh Golin, CEO of the child advocacy group Fairplay, called the attempt to force schools to use AI products a move that would likely backfire. In a statement, Golin said schools should disable Google's AI tools as soon as the option becomes available. He argued that AI is not yet safe for children and undermines critical thinking.

Golin advised schools to use the opportunity to help students find search alternatives that better protect privacy. He suggested districts move beyond simple search and click methods to more substantive research techniques. This advice comes as New York and Los Angeles implement temporary bans on generative AI in primary and lower secondary schools while they evaluate safety and policy.

The new policy creates a direct tradeoff for district leaders. They must choose between retaining full access to Google Search for their students or opting out of the company's AI suite. Google left a message on Tuesday requesting additional comments about the change.