New York City bans AI tools from public schools through eighth grade
New York City banned AI tool use for roughly 600,000 public school students through eighth grade starting this school year.
New York City's Department of Education announced that about 600,000 students through eighth grade can no longer use AI tools, with individual screens banned through third grade and companion chatbots banned at all grade levels. Middle schoolers are recommended no more than 45 minutes of daily screen time; teachers may use AI for lesson prep but not grading. Mayor Zohran Mamdani framed the move as resisting industry framing of AI education as inevitable, while parent groups want a full two-year moratorium; a task force will deliver a report by April 2027 to guide future policy.
- Ban covers ~600,000 students through eighth grade
- Companion chatbots banned at every grade level; screens off-limits through third grade
- Teachers can use AI for lesson prep but not grading
- Task force report due April 2027 will shape future NYC school AI policy
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New York City bans AI use in public schools through the end of middle school. Starting with the new school year, roughly 600,000 students up through eighth grade can no longer use AI tools, the Department of Education announced.
Individual screens are off-limits through third grade, and so-called companion chatbots are banned at every grade level. For middle schoolers, the department recommends no more than 45 minutes of screen time a day. Teachers can still use AI to prep lessons, but not for grading.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the tech industry wants to frame AI education as inevitable, according to the New York Times. The city isn't going along with that. Parent groups like Parents for AI Caution call the rules too weak and want a full two-year moratorium on AI in the classroom. Their worry is that kids might never develop independent thinking because they hand off reasoning to software. British researchers recently called this "cognitive surrender."
A task force of teachers, politicians, experts, and union representatives will now put together a report by April 2027 that will serve as the basis for future AI policy in New York schools.
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