Google lets schools disable Gemini, but an AI-free Google Search isn't an option
In brief
- K-12 student accounts will have Google's AI products off by default unless admins enable them.
- Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search can each be toggled individually by admins.
- Google Search has no option without generative AI; schools banning AI must drop Search entirely.
- NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former FTC chair Lina Khan accused Google of using monopoly power.
What administrators can switch off
Under the new setup, administrators will be able to activate or disable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Search individually, Google said. They're expected to receive the controls in the first part of 2027, and they'll be able to apply different settings by grade level.
That means a district can block the standalone chatbots while keeping Search available. It can't remove AI from Search itself.
Starting in the first part of 2027, schools that enable Search will be offered a version with AI Overviews and AI Mode, or the education-focused Guided Learning experience, according to The New York Times, as cited by Decrypt. Neither option provides the traditional search experience without generative AI.
So what does a district that wants zero AI do? It turns off Search.
Google said the changes are meant to address concerns that AI chatbots can undermine learning by giving students ready-made answers.
Google's case for bundling
Chris Phillips (Google's vice president and general manager of education) addressed the reasoning during a meeting with educators.
“Search and AI are deeply integrated,” Phillips said, according to Education Week.
Critics cite monopoly power
The announcement drew accusations that Google is using its dominance in education to push a technology many schools are still trying to understand, regulate or restrict. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused the company of trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into public schools, according to CBS News. Former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan accused Google of using its search monopoly to coerce schools into adopting AI.
Those are allegations, and Google's stated rationale is the learning concern above.
The big districts have already moved. New York City imposed a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI through eighth grade, covering nearly 600,000 students, and Los Angeles has also restricted the technology. LA officials had specifically hoped to keep Google Search while removing AI-generated summaries (the new controls don't allow that).
Google's search business has its own legal history, too. A federal court ruled in 2024 that the company unlawfully monopolized the U.S. search market, and it's faced separate legal challenges over its decision to integrate AI summaries into search results.
Frequently asked questions
Can schools turn off Google's AI for students?
Partly. Google said administrators can activate or disable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search individually, and its AI products will be off by default for K-12 student accounts. Schools can block the standalone chatbots, but they can't remove AI from Search itself.
Is there a version of Google Search for schools without AI?
No. According to The New York Times, as cited by Decrypt, schools that enable Search will get a version with AI Overviews and AI Mode, or the Guided Learning experience. Neither provides traditional search without generative AI, so a school banning AI entirely would have to disable Search.
When will schools get Google's new AI controls?
School administrators are expected to receive the new controls in early 2027. They'll be able to apply different settings by grade level, deciding which AI products to allow for which students.
