Google to Restrict Search Access for Schools That Block AI Features
Google announced it will discontinue Google Search access for schools that prohibit its AI tools, offering only AI-integrated search or a student-focused Gemini chatbot as alternatives.
Google said it will stop providing Google Search to schools that block its artificial-intelligence features. The company indicated that schools must either keep the AI-enhanced search results, which include "AI Overviews," or switch to a student-oriented version of its Gemini chatbot called Guided Learning.
"Search and AI are deeply integrated," Google vice president of education Chris Phillips told the New York Times. He added that if a school bans AI, students "will not have access to search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available."
The policy follows earlier moves by Google to make AI tools the default on classroom devices, prompting concerns from educators about the impact on critical thinking and testing performance. Several districts in New York and California have already limited AI features on school devices in an effort to retain traditional search functionality.
State regulators are continuing to consider rules for AI use in public education, but Google’s latest announcement narrows the options for schools that wish to exclude AI from their digital resources.