Google: Schools can keep search while skipping Gemini, but AI search is non-negotiable

Google faced the ire of educators and parents earlier this week when it announced a new AI policy for K–12 schools . Google said that it developed its new approach to give schools more control, but early reporting also suggested Google would block search access for schools that didn't want to use AI. Google didn't see the backlash coming, but now that it's here, the search giant is clarifying what exactly its new policy means and what's changing.

The gist of the new policy, according to Google's blog post, is that schools using Google apps will have to opt into its AI products going forward.