Google says it's giving schools more control over AI, but there's a meaningful catch that parents can't ignore. Schools that want to keep AI out of the classroom will also have to give up Google Search through student accounts.

In a Tuesday announcement, Google said it will disable access to several products, including Gemini and Google Search, for K–12 student accounts unless school administrators turn them on.

But there's one thing schools won't be able to do: Keep Google Search while blocking its built-in AI features.

"If a school is not comfortable with that and simply wants AI off, then they have the choice to not have Search on at all," Chris Phillips, Google's vice president of education, told Chalkbeat.

The changes, expected to roll out in early 2027, could leave school districts choosing between allowing AI-generated answers in Search or finding another way for students to research their homework.

Google has spent years integrating AI into its search engine, most visibly through AI Overviews, which provide generated summaries above traditional search results.

Now, those features are becoming a sticking point for schools that want students to research independently without relying on AI-generated answers.

"Search and AI are deeply integrated," Chris Phillips, Google's vice president for education, told The New York Times.

According to Phillips, students in schools that prohibit AI entirely will not have access to Google Search through their school accounts. Instead, they'll see a message indicating that the service is unavailable.

Google has also made it clear that administrators can enable individual products, including Gemini and Google Search, rather than accepting every AI service as a package.

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