diff --git a/projects/packages/jetpack-mu-wpcom/changelog/forno-217-update-image-studio-activation-conditions b/projects/packages/jetpack-mu-wpcom/changelog/forno-217-update-image-studio-activation-conditions
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..76bc6f5b11a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/packages/jetpack-mu-wpcom/changelog/forno-217-update-image-studio-activation-conditions
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: fixed
+
+Agents Manager: Allow plugins to enable the agents manager unified experience via filter.
diff --git a/projects/packages/jetpack-mu-wpcom/src/features/agents-manager/class-agents-manager.php b/projects/packages/jetpack-mu-wpcom/src/features/agents-manager/class-agents-manager.php
index da079b10a22..9fe4f107b34 100644
--- a/projects/packages/jetpack-mu-wpcom/src/features/agents-manager/class-agents-manager.php
+++ b/projects/packages/jetpack-mu-wpcom/src/features/agents-manager/class-agents-manager.php
@@ -566,9 +566,10 @@ public function register_rest_api() {
 	/**
 	 * Determine if user should see unified experience.
 	 *
+	 * @param bool $use_unified_experience Whether to use unified experience.
 	 * @return bool
 	 */
-	public function should_use_unified_experience() {
+	public function should_use_unified_experience( $use_unified_experience = false ) {
 		// Early return for non-proxied/dev mode requests.
 		// This feature is currently only available to Automattic employees testing via proxy.
 		if ( ! self::is_dev_mode() ) {
@@ -598,9 +599,9 @@ public function should_use_unified_experience() {
 			return true;
 		}
 
-		// False, for now.
+		// Default to false, for now.
 		// In the future: users with a big sky site (similar to https://github.a8c.com/Automattic/wpcom/pull/196449/files), a big-sky free trial or a paid plan.
-		return false;
+		return $use_unified_experience;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/forno-217-update-image-studio-activation-conditions b/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/forno-217-update-image-studio-activation-conditions
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4eab38422ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/forno-217-update-image-studio-activation-conditions
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: minor
+Type: other
+
+Image Studio: Only enable when AI features are available
diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/extensions/plugins/image-studio/image-studio.php b/projects/plugins/jetpack/extensions/plugins/image-studio/image-studio.php
index 8430c2985d8..03c269bad03 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/jetpack/extensions/plugins/image-studio/image-studio.php
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/extensions/plugins/image-studio/image-studio.php
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 
 namespace Automattic\Jetpack\Extensions\ImageStudio;
 
+use Automattic\Jetpack\Connection\Manager as Connection_Manager;
+use Automattic\Jetpack\Status;
+use Automattic\Jetpack\Status\Host;
+
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
 	exit( 0 );
 }
@@ -25,16 +29,43 @@
 /**
  * Check if Image Studio is enabled.
  *
- * Returns true if either the unified chat experience or the
- * jetpack_image_studio_enabled filter is active.
+ * Requires AI features (Big Sky or AI Assistant) plus at least one of:
+ * - The unified chat experience (agents_manager_use_unified_experience).
+ * - The jetpack_image_studio_enabled filter.
  *
  * @return bool
  */
 function is_image_studio_enabled() {
+	if ( ! has_ai_features() ) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	return apply_filters( 'agents_manager_use_unified_experience', false )
 		|| apply_filters( 'jetpack_image_studio_enabled', false );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Check whether AI features are available.
+ *
+ * - wpcom simple: always available.
+ * - Atomic: requires Big Sky or AI Assistant feature flags.
+ * - Self-hosted: requires a connected owner with AI not disabled
+ *   (same conditions the AI Assistant plugin uses to register).
+ *
+ * @return bool
+ */
+function has_ai_features() {
+	$host = new Host();
+
+	if ( $host->is_wpcom_simple() ) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	return ( new Connection_Manager( 'jetpack' ) )->has_connected_owner()
+		&& ! ( new Status() )->is_offline_mode()
+		&& apply_filters( 'jetpack_ai_enabled', true );
+}
+
 /**
  * Check if the current screen is a block editor (Post Editor or Site Editor).
  *
@@ -332,7 +363,7 @@ function disable_jetpack_ai_image_extensions() {
 
 /**
  * Enable the agents manager unified experience on self-hosted sites
- * when jetpack_image_studio_enabled is true.
+ * when Image Studio is enabled with AI capabilities.
  *
  * This ensures the agents manager loads and can host the headless agent
  * even when the unified chat experience is not otherwise enabled.
@@ -345,7 +376,7 @@ function enable_agents_manager_for_image_studio( $use_unified_experience ) {
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	return (bool) apply_filters( 'jetpack_image_studio_enabled', false );
+	return has_ai_features() && (bool) apply_filters( 'jetpack_image_studio_enabled', false );
 }
 add_filter( 'agents_manager_use_unified_experience', __NAMESPACE__ . '\enable_agents_manager_for_image_studio' );
 
diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/tests/php/extensions/plugins/image-studio/Image_Studio_Test.php b/projects/plugins/jetpack/tests/php/extensions/plugins/image-studio/Image_Studio_Test.php
index e144f848b85..3b72b1d574b 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/jetpack/tests/php/extensions/plugins/image-studio/Image_Studio_Test.php
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/tests/php/extensions/plugins/image-studio/Image_Studio_Test.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
 
 require_once JETPACK__PLUGIN_DIR . '/extensions/plugins/image-studio/image-studio.php';
+require_once JETPACK__PLUGIN_DIR . '/extensions/plugins/ai-assistant-plugin/ai-assistant-plugin.php';
 
 /**
  * Image Studio extension tests.
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ public function set_up() {
 		$GLOBALS['wp_scripts']  = new WP_Scripts();
 		$GLOBALS['wp_styles']   = new WP_Styles();
 		$this->reset_availability();
+		$this->simulate_connected_owner();
 		unset( $_GET['enable_image_studio'] );
 		$this->saved_screen = $GLOBALS['current_screen'] ?? null;
 	}
@@ -73,6 +75,8 @@ public function tear_down() {
 		remove_all_filters( 'agents_manager_agent_providers' );
 		remove_all_filters( 'pre_http_request' );
 		remove_all_filters( 'locale' );
+		remove_all_filters( 'jetpack_ai_enabled' );
+		( new \Automattic\Jetpack\Connection\Manager( 'jetpack' ) )->reset_connection_status();
 		unset( $_GET['enable_image_studio'] );
 		$GLOBALS['current_screen'] = $this->saved_screen;
 		$GLOBALS['wp_scripts']     = $this->saved_wp_scripts;
@@ -90,6 +94,19 @@ private function reset_availability() {
 		$property->setValue( null, array() );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Simulate a connected Jetpack owner so has_ai_features() returns true.
+	 *
+	 * Called in set_up() so every test starts with AI features available.
+	 * Tests that need AI features off should use disable_ai_features() instead.
+	 */
+	private function simulate_connected_owner() {
+		$user_id = self::factory()->user->create( array( 'role' => 'administrator' ) );
+		\Jetpack_Options::update_option( 'master_user', $user_id );
+		\Jetpack_Options::update_option( 'user_tokens', array( $user_id => 'token.secret.' . $user_id ) );
+		( new \Automattic\Jetpack\Connection\Manager( 'jetpack' ) )->reset_connection_status();
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Enable Image Studio via jetpack_image_studio_enabled filter.
 	 */
@@ -97,6 +114,13 @@ private function enable_image_studio() {
 		add_filter( 'jetpack_image_studio_enabled', '__return_true' );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Disable AI features via the jetpack_ai_enabled kill switch.
+	 */
+	private function disable_ai_features() {
+		add_filter( 'jetpack_ai_enabled', '__return_false' );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Disable Image Studio via filter.
 	 */
@@ -223,12 +247,31 @@ function () use ( $status_code, $body, $content_type ) {
 		);
 	}
 
+	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+	// has_ai_features() tests
+	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+	/**
+	 * AI features available by default in the test environment.
+	 */
+	public function test_has_ai_features_true_by_default() {
+		$this->assertTrue( ImageStudio\has_ai_features() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * AI features disabled via jetpack_ai_enabled kill switch.
+	 */
+	public function test_has_ai_features_false_when_ai_disabled() {
+		$this->disable_ai_features();
+		$this->assertFalse( ImageStudio\has_ai_features() );
+	}
+
 	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	// is_image_studio_enabled() tests
 	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Test is_image_studio_enabled returns true when jetpack_image_studio_enabled is true.
+	 * Enabled when jetpack_image_studio_enabled filter is true and AI features exist.
 	 */
 	public function test_is_enabled_via_jetpack_filter() {
 		$this->enable_image_studio();
@@ -236,7 +279,7 @@ public function test_is_enabled_via_jetpack_filter() {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Test is_image_studio_enabled returns true when unified experience is true.
+	 * Enabled when unified experience is true and AI features exist.
 	 */
 	public function test_is_enabled_via_unified_experience() {
 		$this->enable_unified_experience();
@@ -244,14 +287,14 @@ public function test_is_enabled_via_unified_experience() {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Test is_image_studio_enabled returns false when both filters are false.
+	 * Not enabled when neither filter is set.
 	 */
 	public function test_is_not_enabled_when_both_filters_false() {
 		$this->assertFalse( ImageStudio\is_image_studio_enabled() );
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Test is_image_studio_enabled returns true when both filters are true.
+	 * Enabled when both filters are true.
 	 */
 	public function test_is_enabled_when_both_filters_true() {
 		$this->enable_image_studio();
@@ -259,6 +302,39 @@ public function test_is_enabled_when_both_filters_true() {
 		$this->assertTrue( ImageStudio\is_image_studio_enabled() );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * AI features alone aren't enough; a filter must also be set.
+	 */
+	public function test_is_not_enabled_with_ai_features_but_no_filter() {
+		$this->assertFalse( ImageStudio\is_image_studio_enabled() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Enabled via filter with AI features available.
+	 */
+	public function test_is_enabled_via_filter_with_ai_features() {
+		add_filter( 'jetpack_image_studio_enabled', '__return_true' );
+		$this->assertTrue( ImageStudio\is_image_studio_enabled() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Unified experience alone isn't enough; AI features must also exist.
+	 */
+	public function test_is_not_enabled_via_unified_experience_without_ai_features() {
+		$this->enable_unified_experience();
+		$this->disable_ai_features();
+		$this->assertFalse( ImageStudio\is_image_studio_enabled() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Filter alone isn't enough; AI features must also exist.
+	 */
+	public function test_is_not_enabled_via_filter_without_ai_features() {
+		add_filter( 'jetpack_image_studio_enabled', '__return_true' );
+		$this->disable_ai_features();
+		$this->assertFalse( ImageStudio\is_image_studio_enabled() );
+	}
+
 	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	// is_block_editor() tests
 	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1460,4 +1536,28 @@ public function test_js_url_has_min_css_urls_do_not() {
 	public function test_asset_transient_constant() {
 		$this->assertEquals( 'jetpack_image_studio_asset', ImageStudio\ASSET_TRANSIENT );
 	}
+
+	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+	// Hook priority tests
+	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+	/**
+	 * Disable_jetpack_ai_image_extensions must run after AI extensions register.
+	 */
+	public function test_disable_ai_extensions_priority_after_ai_assistant() {
+		$hook = 'jetpack_register_gutenberg_extensions';
+
+		$jp_ai_priority   = has_action(
+			$hook,
+			'Automattic\Jetpack\Extensions\AiAssistantPlugin\register_plugin'
+		);
+		$disable_priority = has_action(
+			$hook,
+			'Automattic\Jetpack\Extensions\ImageStudio\disable_jetpack_ai_image_extensions'
+		);
+
+		$this->assertNotFalse( $jp_ai_priority, 'AI Assistant register_plugin should be hooked.' );
+		$this->assertNotFalse( $disable_priority, 'disable_jetpack_ai_image_extensions should be hooked.' );
+		$this->assertGreaterThan( $jp_ai_priority, $disable_priority );
+	}
 }