Google’s Tuesday policy change separates account-level controls from the options available inside its search product. For the primary and secondary school student accounts it offers, Google will leave AI tools switched off by default, including Google Search and the Gemini chatbot.

That default does not give districts a full shutdown switch once they offer Google Search. Administrators who activate Search cannot remove AI Overview or AI Mode, so schools gain an account-level restriction but retain only limited control over the AI embedded in the search product.

Guided learning steers chatbot responses

Google’s alternative is a guided learning mode intended to limit the built-in chatbot’s ability to complete students’ work. The mode detects when a student pastes a schoolwork question into Google Search, and the chatbot is trained to help the student work through the problem step by step rather than simply provide the answer.

Google has said it considers AI an integral part of the search experience and does not offer a way to turn off only the AI features in Search. Guided learning lets districts steer students toward a particular chatbot response, but it does not allow them to remove AI Overview or AI Mode.

September reporting preceded a Senate inquiry

The Wall Street Journal’s September investigation reported that Google’s distribution of AI tools in American classrooms had led some students to become emotionally and academically dependent on AI. The reporting drew on interviews with more than 60 teachers, school officials, parents, children and clinicians.

After citing that investigation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) sent a letter to Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai in late October. They asked what Google knew about potential harms from its AI in the classroom and requested a response by the past Monday.

The senators expressed “grave concern” that Google’s “aggressive push of A.I. products to children in schools is threatening the academic success and overall well-being of an entire generation.”

In-house controls and cheating concerns

Some school districts previously said they were making their own in-house tools to switch off the AI tools accompanying Google Search because Google did not offer granular controls for districts to turn off certain features.

Separately, some teachers, students and parents said the AI tools had made it too easy for students to cheat.

Google says it will evolve its approach

In a blog post announcing the changes, Chris Phillips, vice president and general manager of Google’s education arm, said: “We’ll continue to listen to feedback and evolve our approach as we work in partnership with schools, teachers, pedagogical experts, and parents on helping the next generation learn and thrive.”