Google to switch off AI tools for US school students by default
Google plans to disable its AI tools for K-12 student accounts in US schools early in 2027 unless administrators choose to turn them on. Schools that block AI entirely will also lose access to Google Search, which the company says is now tightly integrated with its AI features. Google announced the change on 3 Nov 2026 alongside the launch of Guided Learning, an AI tutor-style feature for schools. Google Classroom is used by more than 150 million teachers and students worldwide. Google said it will share more specifics with schools in the coming months. Critics including Senator Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have objected to the move.
Key facts
- Affected products include Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search.
- Chris Phillips, Google vice president and general manager for education, said the controls would roll out in coming months.
- Google consulted educators, researchers and lawmakers before choosing the opt-in approach.
- California Secretary of Business and Consumer Services Rohit Chopra said Big Tech should not strong-arm schools.
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Why it matters
The change would shift default AI access for millions of US students from opt-out to opt-in, and link Search access to AI settings.
What changed
First published from TechCrunch, The Verge, Engadget, Ars Technica and The Straits Times