Google will disable AI tools for students

Google announced it will not enable its AI assistant Gemini by default for students, responding to criticism from parents and educators. The company dominates digital tools in U.S. schools, with applications like Gmail and Classroom widely used. The new policy means Gemini and related tools will be off by default for students from preschool to high school unless activated by school administrators. This change raises concerns as schools that ban AI will also restrict access to Google's search engine. Critics, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accuse Google of leveraging its monopoly to impose AI in public education. Google stated these settings will be implemented globally, starting in the U.S., and aims to provide schools with more control over AI usage.