New York City is moving to restrict students' use of artificial intelligence tools, with the city announcing a one-year ban on student-facing generative AI for children up to eighth grade in its public schools. The policy, announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, will apply across the largest school district in the US during the 2026-27 academic year.
“Children need teachers and human connection in order to learn and grow,” Mamdani said in a press release. “They need to develop skills alongside their peers, build relationships with educators and wrestle with tough problems on their own.”
The mayor argued that AI has no place in the early education of children, rejecting the idea that AI-powered learning for young students is either unavoidable or essential.
Under the new policy, student-facing generative AI tools will be subject to a one-year moratorium for children from 2-K through eighth grade during the 2026-27 school year. Combined with a new screen-time policy, the measures are expected to affect nearly 600,000 public school students, representing about two-thirds of the city's total public-school enrolment.
NEW YORK CITY RESTRICTS AI TOOLS AND CHATBOTS IN SCHOOLS
According to the policy, students from 2-K through eighth grade will not be allowed to use software featuring student-facing generative AI functions, including AI-powered tutoring tools. The 2-K programme is designed for two-year-old children before they enter kindergarten.
Mamdani's office said the district will remove or deactivate AI features from more than 38 programmes that had previously been approved but do not comply with the city's updated safety and oversight requirements.
The restrictions will also cover chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude, while so-called “companion chatbots” will be prohibited across all grade levels.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO HAVE LIMITED AI ACCESS
The policy does not impose a complete ban on AI. High school students will still be able to receive limited exposure through five controlled pilot programmes.
Up to 50,000 students in general education classes, accounting for around 5 per cent of the city's public-school population, will be eligible to participate. Each high school can offer the pilots in no more than five classes, with students using approved tools under the direct supervision of trained teachers. The tools must meet established safety and data privacy requirements.
High school students will also complete two 45-minute AI literacy or critical-thinking sessions each year. The lessons will explain what AI can and cannot do and address issues including bias, potential risks, ethical concerns, careers and skills that may be important in the future.
Teachers will continue to be permitted to use AI for lesson planning and administrative tasks, provided the tools comply with New York City Public Schools' safety standards. However, AI cannot be used for grading or student assessments.
Exceptions will apply to assistive technologies for students with disabilities, English-language learners and students enrolled in career-readiness programmes such as computer science.
NYC ALSO TIGHTENS SCREEN-TIME RULES
The city is simultaneously introducing stricter rules around students' screen use. Children in second grade and below will face limits on one-to-one screen time, referring to the use of individual devices such as personal laptops.
The recommended daily limits are 30 minutes for students in grades three through five and 45 minutes for those in grades six through eight.
A new Technology in Schools Coalition, comprising students, teachers, parent representatives, elected officials, advocates, union partners and experts, will meet throughout the 2026-27 academic year. The group will evaluate the moratorium and AI pilot programmes before issuing recommendations for subsequent years.
The latest move follows New York City's decision in 2023 to block ChatGPT on school devices and networks, a restriction that was reversed several months later. An earlier framework had also attracted debate, with some parents and teachers arguing that it was too permissive.
Recent research has raised concerns about the potential impact of AI on students' learning. A study by researchers from Stockholm University and the University of Hong Kong found that after roughly six months of AI use, students' homework scores improved by 18 per cent, but their performance in monthly closed-book examinations fell by 20 per cent.
Screen time has also emerged as a concern. Research by scientists from Inserm and the National University of Singapore suggested that children who receive smartphones at an early age may experience weaker memory and poorer academic performance.
