New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a policy that bans younger schoolchildren from using artificial intelligence in classrooms. The one-year moratorium, effective in the 2026-2027 school year, impacts approximately 600,000 public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. This measure is being introduced alongside additional limits on digital devices and a small pilot program for AI education tools. The new rules from the Department of Education will bar teachers from using AI tools to grade assignments and keep students from using the technology in the classroom until they enter high school. This restriction applies to chatbots designed specifically for educational purposes as well as general models accessible to minors.
The decision addresses concerns that unrestricted access to generative tools might undermine academic development before students possess the critical thinking skills to evaluate outputs. Officials argue that early exposure could allow children to rely on automated answers rather than developing their own problem-solving abilities. The ban also aims to prevent data privacy issues associated with student information being processed by external algorithms.
* The policy covers all public schools within the five boroughs.
* Teachers are prohibited from assigning work that requires AI assistance.
* A pilot program will test specific AI tools in a limited number of classrooms.
