Google said access to Gemini and Google Search will be off by default for K-12 student accounts starting in early 2027, until a school administrator switches it on, Chris Phillips, who leads Google's education business, said on November 3.
A school that keeps AI off for its students will also lose regular Google Search for them, with no AI-free search option available for those accounts. Phillips explained in a company blog post: “Search and AI are deeply integrated.”
Instead of giving direct answers, Phillips said, a new Guided Learning feature will walk students through problems step by step. Its Search pilot begins at select U.S. schools this month, while the Classroom version is already available worldwide.
The plan drew criticism in the United States. Senator Bernie Sanders wrote: “Google is threatening schools: if you stop your students from using AI, we will cut off access to Google Search.” Former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan said it shows “the danger of allowing an unregulated monopolist to control an essential service.”
New York City and Los Angeles, the two largest U.S. school districts, already restricted student access to generative AI in September 2026. New York's moratorium covers students through eighth grade and affects nearly 600,000 students.
Starting in early 2027, schools will also get new controls that let them choose which AI products to allow by grade level.
