Google Tells Schools They Can Reject AI—But They'll Lose Search, Too
Google will let K–12 administrators disable student access to Gemini and other AI products by default, but schools cannot use Google Search without its generative AI features. From early 2027, schools enabling Search can choose standard AI features or Guided Learning, not a traditional AI-free version. The policy has drawn criticism from education officials and antitrust figures, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former FTC chair Lina Khan, who say Google is leveraging its search dominance to push AI into schools. Districts including New York City and Los Angeles have restricted student-facing AI, and Los Angeles had hoped to retain Search without AI summaries. Administrators will be able to set controls by product and grade level.
