Google says it will turn off its AI tools for school-age pupils next year unless school administrators choose to enable them, TechCrunch reports. The change covers Gemini, NotebookLM, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search, and follows consultations with teachers, researchers and policymakers.
However, because AI features are now built into Search, schools that block AI entirely will also lose access to the search engine, with students seeing a message saying it is unavailable. Google's vice-president for education, Chris Phillips, told The New York Times that Search and AI were deeply integrated. TechCrunch notes this leaves schools that want pupils to search for sources, but not to rely on AI summaries, with a difficult choice, and highlights Google's influence over classrooms through its apps and Chromebooks. Google said it would give schools more details in the coming months.
Source: TechCrunch