Google will turn off Search completely on student accounts at schools that reject its AI features, per The New York Times.
Google also shared the decision on November 3, 2026, in a wider education update. The change covers K-12 student accounts that schools manage.
Under the new setup, administrators cannot turn off Gemini features themselves because Google said Search and AI are tied together. Schools that want Search must also turn on the AI tools.
What Google Changed About Search Access in Schools
Google’s update names four tools: Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search. For K-12 student accounts, all four will be “entirely off” unless school administrators explicitly turn them on. That puts Search in the same group as the AI products and it is the part drawing the most attention.
Administrators will not be able to switch off the Gemini features without also switching off Search. Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president of education, said to the news outlet that “Search and AI are deeply integrated.”
Schools that disable the AI features will lose Search, Phillips said, and students will see a message from their school saying it is unavailable.
Why Google’s AI Policy Raised Concerns
The announcement comes months after Google turned Gemini on by default inside Google Classroom, an app used by more than 150 million teachers and students worldwide. That step added to doubts about AI in schools, as reports pointed to falling test scores and possible effects on how students learn. Last month, lawmakers pressed Google about the potential harms of putting its AI products in classrooms.
Google no longer turns on AI features in schools by default. But staying out now comes with a cost: the loss of Search.
How Officials Reacted to Google’s Decision
Several public officials criticized the move. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont called it “extortion.” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said no corporation should have the power to dictate how children are taught. Rohit Chopra, California’s Secretary of Business and Consumer Services, wrote that Big Tech should not be able to “strong-arm schools.”
Google disagreed. The company said the change will “give schools more choice, not less” and argues that schools can turn each service on or off individually. Reports on the change do not fully explain how that fits with the rule that Search cannot stay on without the AI tools.
What Students Need to Know About the New Rule
The rule applies to school-managed K-12 accounts and each school’s administrators make the call. Students at a school that rejects the AI tools should expect a message saying Search is not available on their school account. Students at a school that opts in may see Gemini features inside Classroom and other Google tools.
The reports did not state how the change affected personal accounts or devices. The policy described covers student accounts set up by schools. Students who rely on Search for homework research should check with a teacher or the school’s tech office to learn which settings their school chose.
How Google Addressed Concerns About AI Shortcuts
Google is also trying to address concerns that students use AI to find shortcuts instead of solving problems on their own. The company is building its Guided Learning feature, which is meant to help students work through problems, into the AI Overviews that appear in Search. Testing begins this month in select U.S. schools.
Whether that feature calms the debate is still unclear. For now, schools face a clear choice: turn on Google’s AI tools and keep Search, or turn them off and lose it.
