Google will disable several artificial intelligence tools by default on K-12 student accounts as schools continue debating how AI should be used in classrooms.
The changes will affect Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search, with school administrators required to actively enable the services before students can access them.
Google gives schools more control
The new settings are intended to give schools greater authority over which AI tools students can use.
Google said the controls will first roll out in the United States before expanding globally, although the company has not yet announced a specific worldwide launch date.
The move follows criticism from educators and policymakers who raised concerns about students using generative AI to complete schoolwork without developing their own reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Search also affected by AI restrictions
One of the most significant parts of the change is that Google Search will also be switched off by default for K-12 accounts.
Schools that choose not to enable AI features will therefore be unable to offer students the standard version of Google Search through those managed accounts.
Google says this is because AI is now deeply integrated into Search and cannot be fully separated from the service under the current education settings.
That condition has drawn criticism from some education officials and technology policy advocates, who argue that schools should be able to use Search without being required to accept AI features.
Google develops guided learning tools
The company is also introducing more education-focused AI features designed to guide students through problems rather than simply provide direct answers.
These tools are expected to include step-by-step support in Search, Gemini and Classroom.
For example, students working on mathematics, science or writing assignments may receive prompts intended to encourage them to think through a problem before reaching a final answer.
Google says the goal is to make AI more useful as a learning assistant while reducing concerns that students could use the technology simply to bypass coursework.
Schools already restricting AI
Several major school systems have already moved to limit access to generative AI.
New York City and Los Angeles announced restrictions on AI tools on school devices while developing broader policies governing their use.
New York City Public Schools have already disabled Gemini and AI Mode on student Chromebooks and have also sought greater control over AI-generated summaries appearing in Search.
Google Classroom used by millions
The policy shift could have a wide impact because Google has a major presence in education.
More than 150 million students worldwide use Google Classroom, while Chromebooks and Google Workspace tools are widely used in schools.
That scale has made decisions about how Google introduces AI into education particularly important for teachers, parents and policymakers.
Google maintains that the new system gives schools more choice by allowing administrators to decide which services should be available to students.
The changes also highlight the wider challenge facing education systems as they try to balance access to emerging technology with concerns about academic integrity, privacy and student development.
