NYC, the nation’s largest school district, bans AI for students through 8th grade

New York City's public schools will prohibit students in grades through 8th grade from using artificial intelligence tools in the upcoming school year, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Wednesday. The one-year moratorium, part of a broader assessment of how children interact with the technology, is the most stringent prohibition of its kind in the United States.

The ban applies to all software utilizing student-facing generative AI. Meanwhile, the city will introduce twice-yearly AI literacy classes for high school students and pilot AI programs for some high schoolers under educator supervision. Companion chatbots will be restricted across all grades. The city will also recommend screen time limits, suggesting a maximum of 30 minutes daily for students in grades three to five and 45 minutes for those in grades 6 to 8.

Teachers will be permitted to use AI for instructional planning and operational tasks. New York City will review all technology tools in its school system and eliminate those deemed unnecessary to learning.