Google is entirely disabling Search in schools that don’t want AI
Google is entirely disabling Search in schools that don’t want AI
Google stated to The New York Times that schools refusing its AI features will be completely shut down from search. In its K-12 education update on Tuesday, Google said that unless administrators explicitly enable them, Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search will be completely shut down for K-12 student accounts, and administrators cannot turn off Gemini features without shutting down search.
Same story — featured version shown《Google plans to shut down Search for schools that restrict AI, prompting criticism from various parties.》
Same story5 other outlets also reported this
- Hacker News · AI hot posts··First
Google will stop providing search services to schools that refuse to use AI.
- TechCrunch · AI··+1 h 5 min
Google will allow schools to disable its AI tools, but must give up Google Search
Adds:TechCrunch mentions K-12 students specifically.
- The Verge · AI··+1 h 34 min·Reading now
Google completely shuts down search for schools refusing AI features
Adds:The Verge states administrators cannot close Gemini without also closing search.
- Ars Technica · AI··+2 h 29 min
Google will allow schools to skip AI tools, but must give up search services
Adds:Ars Technica mentions the decision excludes schools using Google education products from AI tools by default.
- ITHome · AI··+7 h 22 min
Google adjusts K-12 education AI policies: Gemini, Search, and other services disabled by default
- The Decoder··+18 h 41 min
Google mandates that schools must accept AI starting in 2027 to use the search service
- TechCrunch · AI··+24 h 52 min
Google plans to shut down Search for schools that restrict AI, prompting criticism from various parties.
- ITHome · AI··+40 h 16 min
Google's requirement for schools to enable Gemini to use search has drawn criticism from US political figures.
In order of publication · later reports are added as they appear · Compared by AI from each outlet’s title and summary
Emma Roth
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.
Google is completely turning off Search in schools that reject its AI features, the company told The New York Times. The decision was also shared in a broader education-related update from Google on Tuesday, saying that access to Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search “will be entirely off” for K-12 student accounts unless “administrators explicitly turn them on.”
Administrators will not be given the option to toggle Gemini-powered features off without disabling Search, however. Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president of education, told the NYT, “Search and AI are deeply integrated,” adding that schools that disable Google’s AI features “will not have access to Search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
The announcement comes just months after Google turned its Gemini AI assistant on by default inside the Google Classroom app, which is used by more than 150 million teachers and students globally. The move added to skepticism surrounding Google’s introduction of AI in schools amid reports of declining test scores and other impacts on students’ learning abilities. Last month, lawmakers pressed Google on the “potential harms” of putting its AI products in schools. Although Google is no longer turning on AI features in schools by default, this choice comes at a cost.
The company is also attempting to address concerns about students using its AI features to find “shortcuts” instead of solving problems themselves. Google is embedding its Guided Learning feature, which is supposed to help students work through problems, into its AI Overviews in Search. Google will begin testing this feature in select US schools this month.
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- Emma Roth
Source: The Verge · AI · theverge.com