New York City's public school system will implement a one-year ban on artificial intelligence tools for students in elementary and middle schools, beginning in the upcoming academic year. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday that the moratorium will apply to all software utilizing student-facing generative AI for students in grades up to 8th grade. This policy marks the most extensive prohibition of its kind in the country.
Companion chatbots will be prohibited across all grade levels. The city is also introducing twice-yearly AI literacy classes for all public high school students and will pilot AI platform introductions for some high schoolers under educator supervision.
The move comes as educational institutions nationwide grapple with the integration of AI tools into classrooms. The goal is to teach students how to use these technologies responsibly while preventing over-reliance and academic dishonesty. Mamdani stated that schools have an obligation to question and interrogate AI, similar to how they teach students to question existing knowledge.
In addition to the AI ban, the city will recommend screen time limits, suggesting a maximum of 30 minutes per day for students in grades 3-5 and 45 minutes for those in grades 6-8. Teachers will still be permitted to use AI for instructional planning and administrative tasks.
City education officials will also conduct a comprehensive review of all technology tools used within the school system, with the possibility of removing any deemed non-essential for learning. Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, supported the screen time limits but raised concerns about the AI policy's specifics, particularly regarding the education department's ability to ensure AI products have built-in safeguards. He suggested that proactive measures from the source, rather than after-the-fact evaluations by educators, are necessary for a serious approach to AI in schools.
New York City's public school students are scheduled to return to classes next week.