"Traditional" search, AI mode search and Gemini all present similar content rankings. The end result of a student searching "How did Abraham Lincoln win the 1860 election" will only vary by presentation, not narrative.

If Google were to "turn off AI" -- how far back into their ranking engine would they have to go? That would require them to run a 15+ year old engine, and the results would be worse than useless. Approaching Alta-vista levels of noisiness.