Google Stops Automatic Operation of AI Tools for US School Students
Press coverage 2 newspapers covered this event: Al-Jarida · Al-Rai →
Google stops automatic activation of AI tools for school students following criticism.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
Google announced that it will automatically disable its artificial intelligence tools for school students following criticism that it had provided these features to them, as schools continue to grapple with how to manage this new technology in classrooms.
American schools widely use Google applications, including Gmail, Docs, and the Classroom platform, and Chromebooks—low-cost portable computers from the tech giant—are adopted by most U.S. schools.
Under the changes announced by Google on Tuesday, the Gemini AI model, as well as Gemini within the Notebook and Classroom apps, will be disabled for students from kindergarten through 12th grade until school administrators choose to enable them.
The tech giant Google told Agence France-Presse that the new controls will be rolled out globally, starting with the United States, though no specific date has been set.
However, schools will not be able to provide Google search to students without the AI features.
Chris Phillips, Google’s vice president for education, told The New York Times that “search and AI are deeply integrated,” noting that AI features are now embedded in the company’s search engine.
He added that if a school bans the use of AI, “students will not be able to access the search engine, and they will see a notification from their school stating that it is unavailable.”
More than 150 million students worldwide use the Google Classroom platform, according to a letter sent last month by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley to the company, in which they asked why AI features were automatically enabled on school computers.
In August, Google made the Gemini chatbot available in the Classroom app for students of all ages.
This feature was automatically enabled for students in schools that had previously activated the Gemini system.
In September, New York and Los Angeles announced plans to restrict access to AI tools on school devices.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District told Agence France-Presse, “We are reviewing Google’s announcement and its potential implications for schools, teachers, and students.”
The spokesperson added that the school district believes AI can enhance education and learning if introduced carefully with clear safeguards, citing the district’s principles that technology should support teachers rather than replace them, and that student privacy must be protected.
In a statement on the X platform, Google said the changes made on Tuesday give “schools broader, not fewer, options.”
It added, “We are aware of concerns about students using AI to shortcut their schoolwork, and schools have told us they want control.”
