New York City Public Schools will prohibit students from using student-facing generative artificial intelligence tools from 2-K through eighth grade during the 2026-27 school year, in what city officials describe as the broadest such policy in the country.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced the one-year moratorium on September 2, saying the policy is intended to give the city time to evaluate how artificial intelligence is affecting children’s learning and development. The measure will affect nearly 600,000 students, or about two-thirds of the city’s public-school enrollment.
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The restrictions cover student-facing generative AI software, including chatbots and AI tutors. Companion chatbots will be prohibited across all grades, while students in high school will receive limited exposure to AI through supervised educational programmes.
City officials said the policy is based on concerns that excessive reliance on AI and screens could interfere with independent thinking, creativity, social interaction and teacher-guided learning. The city will also introduce recommended screen-time limits of 30 minutes per day for students in grades 3 through 5 and 45 minutes for students in grades 6 through 8.
The policy does not completely remove AI from high schools. Students will receive AI literacy lessons twice a year covering topics such as how AI works, bias, risks, ethics and its potential impact on careers. The city will also allow five carefully supervised AI pilot programmes involving up to 50,000 high school students.
Teachers will still be allowed to use approved AI tools for certain instructional and administrative tasks, including lesson planning and translation. Exceptions will also be available for assistive technology used by students with disabilities and multilingual learners, as well as some career-readiness programmes.
The announcement follows months of debate among educators, parents and city officials over the appropriate role of AI in classrooms. Earlier proposals faced criticism from parents and education advocates, prompting the Education Department to reconsider its approach and develop stricter rules for younger students.
Throughout the coming school year, a Technology in Schools Coalition made up of students, educators, parents, advocates and technology experts will study the effects of the policy and make recommendations for future school years.
Mamdani said the city wants children to develop the ability to solve problems and learn independently before becoming heavily reliant on artificial intelligence. The policy therefore represents a temporary pause rather than a permanent rejection of AI, with New York City planning to use the next year to determine how the technology can be incorporated into education without undermining learning.
