New York has introduced a temporary ban on the use of artificial intelligence by elementary and middle school students during classes. This was announced by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
He said that in the 2026-2027 school year, students in public elementary and middle schools will not be allowed to use artificial intelligence technologies in the classroom.
The mayor noted that in school, children are taught to ask questions, question assumptions, explore, and ask 'why?'. According to him, the same approach must be applied to the use of artificial intelligence.
Under the decision, screen time will also be limited. For students in grades 3-5, it will be 30 minutes per day, and for students in grades 6-8, 45 minutes. Additionally, the use of assistive chatbots will be banned in all grades.
Technological tools used in schools will also be reviewed. Some programs and tools deemed non-essential will be phased out.
It is worth noting that in the state of New York, a ban on the use of mobile phones by students in schools was also introduced last school year.