New York City’s public school system announced a significant restriction on artificial intelligence use among its approximately 900,000 enrolled students. The ban prohibits AI use through eighth grade, with the policy scheduled to take effect next week. The restrictions are part of a comprehensive technology policy review for the district, which also includes keeping students off laptops and tablets through third grade.
The prohibition applies to most student-facing AI applications, though teachers retain the ability to use the technology for certain administrative tasks such as lesson preparation and written communications. However, educators are explicitly barred from employing AI systems to grade student assignments. High school students, beginning in ninth grade, will be permitted limited AI use restricted to educational contexts, such as studying the technology itself. The city will also prohibit AI-powered chatbots that purport to provide psychological support to students.
Concerns about the technology’s impact on student development have driven the policy shift. Parents and educators have raised alarms about potential harms to mental health and cognitive abilities, citing research on “cognitive surrender”—a phenomenon where individuals over-rely on automated systems for reasoning tasks. Environmental concerns related to AI systems have also factored into the decision. Additionally, screen time limits of 45 minutes for middle schoolers and 30 minutes for elementary students are being recommended.
The new guidelines represent a reversal from earlier positions. In March, the district had published a framework permitting student AI use for research, exploration, and creative projects, which drew considerable backlash from parents and teachers who deemed it insufficiently restrictive. Schools chancellor Kamar Samuels acknowledged that communications about that framework had been inadequate. The district previously banned ChatGPT use in 2023, though that restriction was lifted within less than a year. The city plans to establish a taskforce comprising teachers, officials, experts, and union representatives to develop a more detailed policy guidebook, with a report expected in April.
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