Google switches off AI for schoolchildren by default worldwide

· Politics · Singapore

Google said it will turn off artificial intelligence features for schoolchildren by default, with the new controls rolled out worldwide starting in the United States, though the company has not yet set a date for the change. The decision means students using Google's services will not have AI tools enabled automatically and will instead require them to be switched on. The announcement, reported by Singapore-based CNA, comes as technology companies face growing scrutiny over how AI products reach young users and what safeguards schools and parents should expect by default. The immediate effect is that schools in the first markets affected will see AI features inactive for pupils unless administrators or families opt in. Google has not specified which products or age groups are covered beyond schoolchildren, nor when the rest of the world will follow the US start.

Why it matters：Default settings shape how millions of children first encounter AI, and Google's move could set a precedent other platforms follow.

Key points

  • New controls will roll out worldwide, beginning in the United States.
  • Google has not set a date for the rollout.
  • AI features for pupils will be off unless switched on.

Sources (original reporting)

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