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Google turns off AI for schoolchildren by default
Google will turn off its AI tools by default for K-12 student accounts, following criticism that it had introduced AI features in schools before many had decided how to use them. The change gives school administrators control over whether students can access the tools, but Google Search’s AI features are integrated into the search engine, so schools that disable AI will also block students from using Search.
The changes cover Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search, and are set to roll out worldwide, starting in the United States, though Google has not announced a date. More than 150 million students worldwide use Google Classroom, according to US senators who questioned Google about AI being enabled by default. New York and Los Angeles have announced plans to restrict AI on school devices; Google says the new controls give schools more choice.
In short
- Google will disable AI by default for K-12 student accounts.
- School administrators can choose whether to switch the tools on.
- Disabling AI will also block access to Google Search.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Making AI tools opt-in gives schools time to assess their educational value, privacy implications and effects on learning before students use them. Administrators can then decide what suits their pupils and policies, while avoiding a default that may have been introduced before schools were ready.
The case against
Turning AI off by default may deny pupils useful learning support and limit their ability to develop skills for a technology they are likely to encounter beyond school. Because Google’s AI features are integrated into Search, disabling them can also block access to a widely used research tool, creating practical costs for schools and students.