NYC schools ban student-facing AI platforms for one year

Key facts

• New York City public schools will ban student-facing AI platforms for one year.
• The ban applies to elementary and middle school students.
• Teachers can use AI for lesson planning but not grading.
• High school students will participate in AI literacy courses and pilot programs.
• The decision was influenced by parent groups with differing views on AI in education.

New York City public schools will implement a one-year moratorium on student-facing artificial intelligence platforms for elementary and middle school students, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced. The decision follows intense lobbying from parent groups with sharply contrasting views on the integration of AI in education.

The moratorium, which takes effect immediately, will disable AI features in programs like Amira. Parents like Craig Garrett expressed shock and disappointment upon learning about the extent of AI use in their children's classrooms, fearing that young children were being inappropriately engaged with AI chatbots. This led to the formation of the AIM coalition, a group advocating for a pause on AI in schools.

Conversely, other parents, represented by Keri Rodrigues of the National Parents Union, argue that students need to develop AI skills to remain competitive in the job market. Rodrigues criticized the moratorium as a "hysterical response" that could leave students unprepared.

Under the new guidelines, teachers will still be permitted to use generative AI for lesson planning, but not for grading assignments. High school students will be introduced to "AI literacy" courses and will have limited access to five approved AI pilot programs, none of which are chatbots. The school system stated it engaged with various stakeholders to shape the policy. Proponents of the pause, including neuroscientist Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, cited concerns that excessive AI use in young children could hinder the development of problem-solving skills.