Google links K-12 search access to AI adoption

Google announced Tuesday that K-12 students will lose access to the company's search engine if their schools do not opt in to its artificial intelligence tools. The change reverses a default setting that had previously enabled Gemini for many students. The move ties two distinct services together, creating a direct tradeoff for district administrators.

In August, Google activated its Gemini chatbot for many students using Google Classroom. Before that update, the company had restricted Gemini access to users aged 18 and older. The sudden expansion drew pushback from parents, child development experts, and educators who questioned the readiness of the technology for younger users.

Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president and general manager of education, stated in a blog post that the AI features, including Gemini Notebook and Gemini in Classroom, will now be turned off by default for K-12 accounts. He said school administrators must explicitly activate these tools. Phillips added that the company believes schools should control how AI is used in their classrooms.

Lina Khan, the former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, criticized the new policy on social media. She argued that Google is using its dominance in search to pressure schools into adopting AI. Khan described the move as a penalty for schools that do not align with Google’s technology choices.

New York City and Los Angeles have issued temporary bans on generative AI tools in early primary and secondary schools. These districts are currently evaluating the safety and usage of the technology before establishing permanent policies. Google serves as the primary educational technology provider for many US schools, with 150 million students and teachers using its Classroom platform globally.

Josh Golin, executive director of the advocacy group Fairplay, told the company that forcing schools to use its AI products could backfire. He stated that the technology’s presence in schools is driven by a goal to build long-term brand loyalty rather than improve learning. Golin urged schools to disable Google’s AI tools as soon as the option becomes available.

Golin suggested that schools use this transition to help students find search alternatives that offer better privacy. He argued that students should move beyond simple search and click methods to conduct more substantive research. Google received requests for further comment on the policy change on Tuesday.