New York City has decided to stop the use of AI in elementary and middle schools for one year, affecting about 600,000 students. This means that younger students will not be allowed to use AI tools in their classrooms. High school students, however, will take two courses each year to learn about AI and will have limited access to certain AI programs for educational purposes. The city's education officials, including Chancellor Kamar Samuels and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, believe that while AI is a big part of the future, it is not suitable for younger children. They want to ensure that high school students are prepared for a world where AI is common, but they also want to teach them to think critically about it. As part of this policy, AI features will be removed from 38 educational programs that were previously approved. Additionally, there will be limits on how much screen time students can have on personal devices: 30 minutes for younger kids and 45 minutes for middle schoolers. The decision comes amid concerns that students have been using AI to cheat on schoolwork. While some groups have called for a longer ban on AI in schools, officials are planning to review the effectiveness of this one-year moratorium after the 2026-2027 school year. Teachers will still be allowed to use AI for planning lessons and other tasks.
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