New York to Ban AI Use in Public Schools Through Eight Grade

New York City will ban students in public schools from using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools through eighth grade, a source has told AFP, confirming earlier reports from the United States media.

Under the new policy, AI use will be permitted from ninth grade, when students typically enter high school, but only for limited purposes, including learning about the technology itself.

The move follows concerns from teachers and parents about the potential impact of AI on children’s mental health and cognitive development, as well as its environmental costs. 

Eighth-grade students in the US are typically around 13 years old.

According to The New York Times, the restrictions will also prohibit AI-powered “companion chatbots” designed to provide psychological support to students.

Teachers, however, will be allowed to use AI for certain tasks, including lesson preparation and drafting messages.

The new rules are expected to be announced on Wednesday. New York City Hall and the city’s Department of Education had not immediately responded to AFP’s request for comment.

The education department currently recommends limiting classroom screen time to 45 minutes for middle school students in sixth through eighth grade and 30 minutes for elementary school pupils.

However, enforcing the AI restrictions could prove difficult because students can access the technology outside the school environment.

The new policy follows an initial framework introduced by the city in March that used a traffic-light system to indicate when students could use AI.

That framework permitted AI use for activities such as research, exploration and creative projects but drew criticism from parents and teachers who considered the rules too permissive.

Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels later acknowledged that the city had not communicated the framework effectively and said his office would review feedback from parents before finalising the policy.

The education department had previously said it planned to develop a more comprehensive guidebook based on feedback received from parents, teachers and other stakeholders.

The department will also establish a task force comprising teachers, elected officials, experts and union representatives. The group is expected to produce a report in April that will help shape the city’s long-term policy on AI use in schools.

New York City’s public school technology policies are closely watched across the United States because its school district is the country’s largest, with more than 900,000 students enrolled during the 2024-2025 academic year.