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

Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City announced a temporary ban on generative artificial intelligence tools for elementary and middle school students during the upcoming school year. This one-year prohibition is the most extensive in the nation and applies to any software utilizing AI for student-facing interactions. Concurrently, the city will introduce AI literacy classes twice a year for all high school students and initiate pilot programs permitting select high school students to utilize AI under teacher supervision.

The ban encompasses companion chatbots in all grades. Mayor Mamdani emphasized the importance of teaching students to question and critically analyze information while navigating AI's integration. Similar bans are in effect in Los Angeles, where the second-largest school district also prohibits generative AI tools on student devices.

New York City will recommend screen time limits for students, with a daily maximum of 30 minutes for grades three to five and 45 minutes for grades six to eight. Teachers can employ AI for administrative tasks, but at least 37 states already have AI guidance for schools. The city will also review all technology tools and eliminate nonessential ones.

While the ban was welcomed by teachers' union president Michael Mulgrew, critics argue that the one-year evaluation period is insufficient and that AI platforms should prove their effectiveness, safety, and non-displacement of face-to-face interaction before being permitted.