Google will switch Gemini and Google Search off by default for K-12 student accounts, and schools that block its AI completely will lose Search too.

Google will switch Gemini and Google Search off by default for K-12 student accounts, and schools that block its AI completely will lose Search too.

Google said on Tuesday that it's changing the default for its AI tools in schools (Google blog). Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search "will be entirely off for K-12 student accounts until school administrators explicitly turn them on." Google says it will share details with schools "in the coming months" before the change rolls out. TechCrunch reports the switch is planned for next year (TechCrunch). Google told Engadget that administrators can turn the products on one at a time, so it's "not an all-or-nothing deal" (Engadget). The catch is Search. Chris Phillips, Google's head of education, told The New York Times that "Search and AI are deeply integrated." If a school restricts AI altogether, students "will not have access to search, and they'll see a message from their school that indicates it's not available" (via TechCrunch). This walks back an August change that turned Gemini on by default in Google Classroom, which is used by more than 150 million people, after a backlash from educators and questions from lawmakers (The Verge). New York City and Los Angeles public schools both paused AI tools for students in September. Not everyone is pleased with the Search trade-off. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said "Google has prioritized its business interests over the education of our children" (NBC News). Google also made Guided Learning, a step-by-step study mode that coaches students instead of giving answers, available worldwide in Google Classroom starting today. A Guided Learning pilot in Search starts in select U.S. schools later this month.

What this means for you: if you have a kid in a Google school, nothing changes yet. Next year, whether they get Gemini and Google Search on their school account will be up to the district. If the district says no to AI, plain Google Search goes with it. Teachers and IT admins should watch for Google's rollout details in the coming months.