New York City is set to ban students in public schools from using artificial intelligence tools through the eighth grade, amid growing concerns over the impact of the technology on children’s mental health and cognitive development.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed the development to AFP on Wednesday, following earlier reports by US media.
Under the new policy, students would only be permitted to use AI from high school, which begins in the ninth grade in the United States. Even then, its use would be restricted to specific educational purposes, including learning about artificial intelligence and how the technology works.
The policy means that eighth-grade students, who are typically around 13 years old, would not be permitted to use AI tools for school-related activities.
New York City Hall and the city’s Department of Education did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
According to The New York Times, the new rules will also prohibit the use of AI-powered “companion chatbots” designed to provide psychological or emotional support to students.
Teachers, however, will be allowed to use AI for certain administrative and educational tasks, including preparing lesson materials and drafting messages.
The policy follows concerns raised by parents and teachers about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in schools. Critics have warned that excessive reliance on AI could affect children’s cognitive development and mental wellbeing, while also raising concerns about the environmental impact of the technology.
The city’s Department of Education currently recommends limiting classroom screen time to 45 minutes for middle school students in sixth through eighth grades and 30 minutes for elementary school pupils.
However, enforcing restrictions on AI use could prove difficult because students can access many AI tools outside the school environment.
The new policy follows an initial framework released by the city in March, which adopted a traffic-light system to determine when and how students could use AI.
That framework allowed students to use AI for activities such as research, exploration and creative projects. However, the approach attracted criticism from parents and teachers who considered the guidelines too permissive.
Responding to the criticism, Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels acknowledged that the city’s communication surrounding the framework had “missed the mark” and said officials would carefully consider feedback from parents.
The Department of Education had previously indicated that the March framework would be followed by a more comprehensive guidebook incorporating feedback from parents, teachers and other stakeholders.
As part of the process, the department is expected to establish a task force comprising teachers, elected officials, technology experts and representatives of teachers’ unions.
The task force is expected to submit a report in April, which will serve as a basis for developing New York City’s long-term policy on artificial intelligence in schools.
New York City’s education policies are closely watched across the United States because its public school system is the largest in the country, with more than 900,000 students enrolled during the 2024–2025 academic year.
The new restrictions could therefore influence how other major school districts across the US approach the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms.