New York City bans AI tools from public schools through eighth grade
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New York City has banned the use of AI tools in public schools through eighth grade, affecting about 600,000 students starting the new school year. The Department of Education also prohibits individual screens through third grade and companion chatbots at all grade levels. For middle schoolers, the department recommends no more than 45 minutes of screen time daily. Teachers may still use AI to prepare lessons but not for grading. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city rejects the tech industry's framing of AI education as inevitable. Parent groups like Parents for AI Caution consider the rules too weak and call for a two-year moratorium, citing risks to independent thinking and "cognitive surrender." A task force will issue a report by April 2027 to guide future AI policy.
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