NYC Just Banned Generative AI for Students

The New York City Public Schools system has implemented a new artificial intelligence policy for the 2026 academic year, limiting the use of generative AI across its public school system. Students in grades 2 through 8 will not be permitted to utilize generative AI for academic purposes, while high school students will only have limited access under teacher supervision.

New York City Public Schools is the largest public school system in the United States, impacting approximately 600,000 students, or two-thirds of the city's public school population.

Mayor Zahran Mamdani explained that merely having access to technology does not justify its use in every aspect of education. He emphasized the importance of students learning alongside teachers and classmates, asking questions, solving problems, and completing challenging tasks independently. Mamdani also expressed skepticism about the benefits of AI for younger students, citing a lack of credible evidence, except for research funded by companies potentially profiting from the technology.

Despite the comprehensive ban on generative AI for younger students, the new policy does not entirely eliminate AI from schools. All high school students will receive two 45-minute AI literacy lessons annually, covering topics such as AI functioning, limitations, information bias, data privacy, misinformation, ethical risks, and potential impacts on future jobs. The objective is to enable students to critically analyze AI-generated information before relying on it.

Five limited AI pilot programs will be introduced in high schools, using Quill, Edia, Brisk Teaching, Playlab, and Intel AI-Ready Schools. These programs will involve a maximum of 50,000 students and be restricted to no more than five classes per school. AI usage will be under the direct supervision of trained teachers, with a maximum of 45 minutes of weekly use per student.

ChatGPT, Cloud, or similar general-purpose chatbots will be excluded from the pilot programs, and companion chatbots designed to form emotional or relational connections with users will also be banned.

Certain exceptions will be granted to teachers and students with disabilities, English-language learners, and students in vocational preparation programs like computer science. Teachers can use approved AI tools for lesson planning and administrative tasks, provided the tools adhere to the school system's safety and privacy standards.

New screen time limitations have been introduced as part of the policy. One-to-one screen use will be prohibited for students in grades K2 through 2. For grades 3 through 5, the recommended maximum screen time is 30 minutes per day, and for grades 6 through 8, it will be 45 minutes per day. These restrictions will not apply to assistive technology, diagnostic examinations, robotics, coding, and specific approved educational activities.

The local education department plans to review and remove or disable AI features in over 38 previously approved educational programs that fail to meet the new safety and monitoring requirements. Additionally, New York City is establishing a Technology in Schools Coalition, comprising students, teachers, parents, experts, lawyers, and union representatives.

This group will evaluate the policy's and pilot programs' outcomes during the 2026 academic year and is expected to submit recommendations for future policy in April 2027. The new rules take effect as New York City public schools prepare to commence the academic year on September 10.