NYC Restricts AI Use in Public Schools Through Grade 8
New York City has banned artificial intelligence tools in public schools up through the end of eighth grade, according to The Decoder. Starting with the new school year, approximately 600,000 students in these grades are barred from using artificial intelligence in the classroom. Individual screens are restricted entirely through third grade, while companion chatbots are prohibited across all grade levels. For middle school students, the Department of Education advises limiting screen time to a maximum of 45 minutes daily. While teachers retain the ability to use artificial intelligence for lesson preparation, they are prohibited from using the technology for grading student work.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that the technology industry’s push for artificial intelligence in education is not viewed by the city as inevitable. Meanwhile, advocacy organizations such as Parents for AI Caution argue that the new regulations are insufficient and are pushing for a comprehensive two-year moratorium on artificial intelligence within schools. These groups express concern that students may fail to develop independent reasoning skills by relying on software to process information, a phenomenon recently described by British researchers as cognitive surrender. A newly formed task force consisting of educators, lawmakers, industry experts, and union representatives is scheduled to release a report by April 2027 to guide long-term policy for New York schools.
Based on reporting by the-decoder.com.
