Schools blocking AI from student computers will now lose access to Google’s search feature, leaving edtech experts scratching their heads

Google’s updated policy on how schools access its AI tools has raised questions among educational technology experts about the rationale behind the decision.

The tech company on Tuesday announced plans to turn off AI tools in its software for students, which can be reversed by a school administrator’s decision. Google said the change would enable K-12 classrooms to have more control over how students engage with AI.

But if a school restricts AI entirely, its students will no longer be able to use Google’s Search feature. 

A social media post from Google clarifying the changes, which will be implemented early next year, explained the feature was meant to provide schools with “more choice, not less” by creating the option for administrators to enable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search. However, Google’s Search function is embedded with AI Mode and AI Overview that cannot be disabled, meaning schools with AI bans are unable to grant students access to the tool.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who issued a one-year moratorium on generative AI for public schools through eighth grade, was among politicians and policy experts criticizing the inextricable integration of Google Search with AI tools. The move, critics said, was a means of taking advantage........

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