Google will disable AI in school products by default from 2027
From 2027, Google plans to switch off AI features in its school products by default. Schools that block AI on their devices would also lose access to Google Search, because the two systems are now too closely linked to separate.
From 2027, Google plans to turn off artificial intelligence features in its education products by default, leaving schools to decide whether to enable them. The change is presented as a matter of choice, but it comes with a condition that limits that choice considerably: schools that block AI entirely on their devices will also lose access to Google Search.
The reason is technical. According to the report, Google's AI and search systems are now too deeply intertwined to be separated. A school that wants to keep students away from generative AI tools cannot simply switch off that layer while keeping the search engine, which many classrooms rely on daily for research and information.
The report also points to Google's position in the American school market. Given how widely its tools are used in US schools, the so-called choice leaves administrators with limited room to maneuver. A district that rejects the AI features may find that it has to give up a core service it already depends on, which places the decision under considerable pressure rather than leaving it to a genuinely free selection.
The story raises a broader question about how digital infrastructure in education is shaped by a few dominant providers. When basic functions such as search and AI are bundled together, opting out of one can mean losing the other, and schools may have little practical alternative. The report does not describe how Google has justified the bundling or whether it plans to offer separate settings in the future, so those points remain open.
Source: the-decoder.com
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