Key facts
- New York City schools will ban AI for elementary and middle school students.
- Students in third through fifth grade will have a 30-minute screentime limit on individual devices.
- Middle school students will have a 45-minute screentime limit on individual devices.
- AI use for high school students will be restricted, with specific exceptions.
- The school system plans to establish a coalition to guide future AI policy.
New York City's school system is implementing a ban on AI for elementary and middle school students, alongside new screentime limits. This policy, part of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration, addresses growing national concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on children's learning, attention spans, and privacy. For younger students, the policy recommends no more than 30 minutes of screentime on individual devices for those in third through fifth grade, and 45 minutes for middle school students. High school students will face restricted AI use, though exceptions exist for literacy, career, and certification programs, as well as five pilot programs in select schools.