Google has a major presence in U.S. public schools, where its low-cost Chromebooks and online tools such as Drive and Docs are widely used. The company now plans to expand Gemini’s role in education, prompting criticism from people who say schools may have little choice about using its AI.
At the start of November, Google announced plans to bring Guided Learning to more school services. The feature, first introduced for Gemini in August, is designed to help students work through problems with questions and step-by-step guidance rather than simply giving them an answer.
That approach may sound more useful for learning than an AI tool that does students’ work for them. The controversy is about how the feature would fit with Google’s other classroom products, including Search and Classroom.
Critics say schools could face an all-or-nothing choice: enable Guided Learning and give students access to Search, Classroom, and Gemini, or disable the services altogether. Some have argued that tying Gemini to Search effectively pressures schools to adopt Google’s AI.
The arrangement could also help Google attract young users to Gemini and strengthen its position against competitors such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok. Gemini remains behind ChatGPT in reported usage, and a larger school audience could make its reach appear greater.
Google pushed back on the criticism, saying the new settings give schools more control. The company said Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search will be turned off by default, and administrators can enable any of them separately. It also said it is updating Search with guided, step-by-step help intended to encourage learning rather than quick answers.
Google said schools had asked for greater control over students’ use of AI, and that the changes reflect feedback from educators. The company added that it would keep consulting with schools.
But the company’s explanation has not fully resolved the confusion. Google’s vice president of education, Chris Phillips, reportedly said Search and AI are closely connected, and that schools disabling Gemini would not have access to Search. He said students would instead see a message from their school saying the service was unavailable.
Those conflicting descriptions have left parents, students, and teachers unsure about what schools will actually be able to turn on or off. Google did not respond to a request for clarification before publication.
The expansion comes as Google has acknowledged that AI Overviews may be reducing advertising revenue, since users are less likely to click through to websites. The Guided Learning changes are expected to reach schools in the coming months, possibly in 2027. Google says it is still listening to feedback, so its plans could change before the rollout is complete.
Parents with concerns may want to contact school administrators and share their views with Google.
