New York City bans generative AI in public schools through eighth grade
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's one-year moratorium takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year, affecting about 600,000 students, alongside new screen-time guidelines and critical-thinking lessons for high schoolers.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a one-year ban on generative AI tools in public schools for students through eighth grade. The policy takes effect during the 2026-2027 school year and will affect roughly 600,000 students.
Mamdani described the moratorium as a commitment to "getting the future right," saying new technology will be embraced only when it truly serves students. New York Governor Kathy Hochul added that the state has been working to keep children focused on learning rather than clicking and scrolling. Mamdani said the move aims to protect human connection in classrooms, arguing children should build problem-solving and social skills through interaction with teachers and peers rather than chatbots.
During the one-year ban, researchers will study the technology's effects on children, and a coalition of educators, parents and elected officials will use those findings to recommend next steps.
Exceptions and high schools
High schools are not covered by the ban, and some will take part in closely monitored AI pilot programs. All high school students will receive twice-yearly lessons meant to help them think critically about AI before relying on it. Teachers may continue using generative AI for lesson planning and administrative tasks, provided the tools meet public school safety standards. Exceptions will also apply to assistive technology for students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and students in career-readiness programs such as computer science.
The policy also introduces new screen-time guidelines, suggesting daily caps of 30 minutes for many elementary school students and 45 minutes for middle schoolers, though these are non-binding recommendations left to individual households.
The crackdown follows growing concern among NYC parents about AI's impact on children. More than half of City Council members signed a letter urging the mayor and Department of Education to curb AI's expansion in classrooms, and the United Federation of Teachers' president said parents have grown increasingly alarmed by reports about AI's risks. Similar measures have been adopted elsewhere: Norway has imposed a comparable restriction, while Italy now requires parental consent for children under 14 to use such tools. In the US, Congress is separately weighing legislation on age verification and restricting chatbot access for minors.
