The city of New York intends to prohibit students in public schools up to the eighth grade from using artificial intelligence. This was reported by a source close to the issue, confirming reports from American media.
Teachers and parents are expressing concerns about the application of AI in education, citing potential harm to children's mental health, cognitive development, and environmental damage.
According to the source, the use of AI will only be permitted in high school, which begins in the ninth grade in the American education system. Even then, its application will be limited to specific tasks, such as studying the technology itself.
On average, eighth-grade students in the US are around 13 years old. The New York administration and the city's Department of Education did not provide immediate comments in response to AFP's request.
Only teachers will be able to use AI
According to The New York Times, so-called 'companion chatbots' based on AI that offer psychological support will also be banned. However, the new rules allow teachers to use AI for tasks such as preparing educational materials or drafting messages.
The Times reported that these new rules are expected to be made public on Wednesday. The city's Department of Education recommends limiting screen time for middle school students (sixth to eighth grade) to 45 minutes per lesson, and for younger students—to 30 minutes.
Nevertheless, the question remains open regarding how to monitor AI usage, as it often occurs outside the school environment. The new rules follow an initial concept published in March, which used a traffic light system to define the scope of AI application.
This early concept allowed students to use AI for research, topic study, and creative projects, which caused strong dissatisfaction among many parents and educators who considered it too lenient.
In response to the criticism, School Chancellor Kamar Samuels stated that leaders had 'missed' in their communications, adding that his office would carefully review parental feedback for inclusion in future regulations.
The Department of Education noted that the city had long planned to supplement the March concept with a more detailed 'guideline' to account for feedback. This plan includes forming a target group comprising teachers, elected officials, experts, and union representatives. This group is expected to submit a report in April, which will form the basis for New York's policy on AI in schools.
Since the city's public school system is the largest district in the country, with over 900,000 students in 2024–2025, the city's policy is under close scrutiny by the rest of the United States.