New York City officials have announced a one-year moratorium on students using artificial intelligence tools in public elementary and middle schools, making it one of the most restrictive AI policies introduced by a major US school district.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Wednesday that schools would suspend the use of around 40 AI-powered educational tools currently used in classrooms across the city.
The policy will affect approximately 600,000 public school students through eighth grade. High school students will still be permitted to use AI in certain circumstances, while teachers will be allowed to use the technology for lesson planning, scheduling and other administrative tasks, according to the city.
“Children need teachers and human connection in order to learn and grow,” Mamdani said at a press conference. He added that students needed to develop skills alongside their peers, build relationships with educators and tackle challenging problems independently.
The move comes as school districts across the United States grapple with how to regulate the use of rapidly developing AI technology in classrooms. Other districts, including Los Angeles, are also reviewing their AI policies.
Major AI companies Google, Anthropic and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
New York City public schools previously introduced a temporary ban on ChatGPT shortly after the chatbot was launched in 2022. The restriction was later lifted, and the city subsequently adopted an AI-powered teaching assistant developed with Microsoft, according to the company.
