New York City Bans Artificial Intelligence for Pre-High School Students
The mayor of New York City has enacted a one-year ban on artificial intelligence use in classrooms for elementary and middle school students for the 2026-2027 academic year.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced an artificial intelligence ban for the 2026-2027 academic year covering approximately 600,000 public school students from 3-K through eighth grade.
Artificial Intelligence and Screen Limits
New rules introduced by the New York City Department of Education prohibit students from using artificial intelligence technology in the classroom until they reach the high school level. Additionally, individual screen use is completely banned through the third grade.
New Rules for Teachers
Under the new regulations, teachers are prohibited from using artificial intelligence tools to grade student assignments. However, teachers are still allowed to utilize artificial intelligence when planning lessons.
Exceptions and Special Circumstances
Exceptions may be granted for specific purposes, such as artificial intelligence tools that support students with disabilities or multilingual learners, as well as computer science programs.
Statements from the Mayor
Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that children need teachers and human interaction to learn and grow, emphasizing that technology is not inevitable in early education.
Practices for High School Students
While high school students are permitted to use artificial intelligence only under certain conditions, they will receive artificial intelligence literacy classes twice a year to ensure they develop critical thinking skills before becoming overly dependent on technology.
Limited Pilot Program
A limited artificial intelligence pilot program will be offered in a small number of high school classrooms with tools verified to meet safety and data privacy standards, featuring applications such as Quill, Edia, and Brisk Teaching.