New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces AI ban for students:Restricts the use until high school over critical thinking concerns; move applies for one year

New York City is introducing new rules to limit the use of artificial intelligence in its public schools. Under the new policy, students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade will not be allowed to use generative AI tools during the 2026-27 school year. The move will affect nearly 600,000 students across the city’s public school system. AI use will be permitted in high school, starting in ninth grade, but only for approved educational purposes. The city also plans to introduce AI literacy lessons to help older students understand the technology, including its risks, bias, ethics, and impact on critical thinking. Why is New York City restricting AI in schools? The decision comes after growing concerns from teachers, parents, and education experts about children becoming too dependent on AI. Officials are particularly worried that students may start using AI to find answers instead of developing their own problem-solving and reasoning skills. Researchers have described this kind of dependence as “cognitive surrender”, where people hand over parts of their thinking to AI systems. Parents and teachers have also raised concerns about children’s mental health, social development and the amount of time they spend using screens. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the policy is aimed at making sure technology supports education rather than replacing important human interactions. This moratorium is a commitment to getting the future right. We will embrace new technology, but only when it serves our students.
What will students be allowed to do? Students from 2-K through eighth grade will not be allowed to use student-facing generative AI tools under the one-year moratorium. AI companion chatbots that are designed to provide psychological or emotional support will also be prohibited for younger students. However, the rules do not mean that AI will completely disappear from schools. A limited number of high school classrooms will be allowed to test AI tools through closely monitored pilot programmes. High school students will also receive AI lessons twice a year covering topics such as AI literacy, bias, ethics and critical thinking. Teachers can use AI, but with restrictions The new rules are mainly focused on student use of AI. Teachers will still be able to use approved AI tools for certain tasks, such as preparing lesson plans and writing messages. However, teachers will not be allowed to use AI to grade students’ assignments. The city says these restrictions are intended to ensure that important educational decisions continue to involve teachers rather than being handed over to AI systems. Screen time will also be reduced The policy is not limited to AI. New York City is also introducing recommendations to reduce students’ dependence on laptops and tablets. Classrooms will keep students off laptops and tablets through third grade, except when their use is necessary. The city recommends limiting screen-based learning to: The aim is to give younger children more time for face-to-face interaction, classroom activities and learning without digital devices. What are parents and teachers saying? The restrictions come after increasing pressure from parents, educators and lawmakers for stricter rules around AI in schools. UFT President Michael Mulgrew said parents are becoming increasingly concerned about the technology. Parents are getting very, very upset with A.I. because all they hear are these horror stories about A.I. and they’re rightfully protective of their children.
Mulgrew has also called AI “a very dangerous thing” and said schools should not adopt new AI products before they are properly checked. Supporters of the policy argue that some AI-powered education products may not provide enough academic value and could make it easier for students to avoid doing their own work. New York City has changed its AI policy before This is not the city’s first attempt to control AI use in schools. In 2023, New York City’s public school system blocked students from using ChatGPT. However, that restriction was reversed less than a year later. The city had also released an initial framework in March that used a traffic-light system to guide schools on when AI could be used. The latest policy goes further by setting specific rules based on students’ grade levels. How will the city monitor AI use? One major challenge will be making sure students follow the rules. AI tools can be accessed outside school, including on students’ personal phones and computers. This makes it difficult for schools to completely monitor how and when students use AI. City officials therefore plan to focus on creating clear rules and studying the technology before deciding what a longer-term AI policy should look like. What happens next? The new restrictions will apply for one year during the 2026-27 school year. During this period, educators, parents, experts and elected officials will study how AI affects students and consider what rules should be introduced in the future. Mamdani said the goal is not to reject technology completely, but to make sure children develop essential skills before becoming heavily dependent on it. The tech industry wants us to believe that A.I.-powered early education is not only inevitable, but necessary. We do not see it that way. The policy reflects a growing debate in education: how can schools teach children to use AI without allowing the technology to replace learning, creativity and independent thinking?