Google Won't Let Schools Turn Off AI Answers in Search
Google has announced that schools will not be able to disable the AI-generated answers shown atop search results. Starting next year, the only way to avoid them will be to block search entirely.
Technology company Google announced on Tuesday that it will not give US schools an option to switch off AI Overviews, the chatbot-generated answers displayed at the top of search results. Beginning next year, schools that want to avoid the feature will have to block access to search altogether. The decision has surprised educators, parents and technology researchers.
Google's explanation
In a public response on X, the company argued that schools gain "more choice, not less": search, the Gemini chatbot and the Gemini Notebook tool will be off by default next year, and administrators can enable one, two or all three. Google, however, treats AI Overviews and the related AI Mode as inseparable from the standard search experience.
Objections from schools and parents
Two weeks ago, an IT administrator at an elementary-middle school asked on Google's support forum for a way to block the feature, saying students should learn to examine sources and draw their own conclusions. Staff from three other districts voiced similar frustration. Dominique Johnson of an Oregon group, Lake Oswego Parents For Responsible Technology, said children use the summaries to skip effort and that the answers often contain mistakes.
Without an official switch, schools rely on workarounds such as altering search URLs and using browser extensions. Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia built its own extension, though such fixes could stop working if Google changes how results are delivered. Los Angeles Unified said it is still reviewing the implications.
Research and Google's plans
A study by Washington University in St. Louis found that only about 42 percent of AI Overviews could be fully verified using their own citations. Google says the overviews undergo rigorous testing and keep improving. The company also plans to launch a feature called Guided Learning for students in the coming months, intended to coach users toward finding information rather than handing them an immediate answer. Some researchers doubt how effective it will be.
Last week, shares of Google's parent company Alphabet had their worst single-day selloff after weaker-than-expected search advertising sales.
