Google allows individual settings for K-12 account search and Gemini

Alphabet’s Google ($GOOGL) said school administrators can now enable Google Search and the Gemini app separately for K-12 student accounts, after previously bundling the services. Under the change announced on its official blog, Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search will be off by default for K-12 accounts until an administrator turns each one on. The shift follows criticism from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who argued that AI policy could end up restricting students’ access to search. The move matters because it separates AI tooling from core search access for millions of education users, giving districts granular control over which services students can use. What to watch next is how quickly school districts enable the individual settings and whether other AI-related restrictions on K-12 accounts follow.