NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a one-year moratorium on the use of artificial intelligence in public elementary and middle schools, affecting around 600,000 students through eighth grade.
The policy, announced on Wednesday, will halt the use of around 40 AI-powered educational tools currently being used in New York City classrooms.
The move is considered one of the most restrictive AI policies introduced by a US public school district as education authorities across the country grapple with the growing use of artificial intelligence in classrooms.
High school students will still be allowed to use AI in certain circumstances, while teachers will be permitted to use the technology for lesson planning, scheduling and other administrative tasks, according to the city administration.
Speaking at a press conference, Mayor Mamdani said children needed teachers and human interaction to learn and develop properly.
He said students needed to build skills alongside their peers, develop relationships with educators and tackle difficult problems independently.
The decision comes as school districts across the United States are reviewing how AI should be regulated in educational institutions.
Other major school districts, including Los Angeles, are also considering policies governing the use of artificial intelligence by students and teachers.
Major AI companies Google, Anthropic and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment on New York City’s decision.
New York City public schools had previously imposed a temporary ban on ChatGPT shortly after the AI chatbot was launched in 2022.
The restriction was later lifted and replaced with a customised AI-powered teaching assistant, according to Microsoft.
The latest policy reflects growing concerns among education officials over the impact of artificial intelligence on students’ learning, critical-thinking skills and interaction with teachers and classmates.
