New York Limits AI in Schools and Awaits Report by 2027

New York City limits the use of AI in its public schools until the end of middle school and bans companion chatbots. Meanwhile, parents are calling for a two-year moratorium, while a working group is expected to deliver a report by April 2027 that will guide future policy.

A report expected in 2027 and calls for a moratorium

A working group composed of teachers, policymakers, experts, and union representatives is set to submit a report by April 2027. This document will serve as the foundation for future AI policy in New York's public schools. In the meantime, parent groups, including Parents for AI Caution, believe that current rules do not go far enough and are demanding a complete two-year moratorium on the use of AI in the classroom. They express concern that children may not develop independent thinking if they delegate their reasoning to software, a situation that British researchers have recently termed "cognitive surrender."

What applies to students and teachers

The city of New York prohibits the use of artificial intelligence in public schools until the end of middle school. Starting next school year, according to the Department of Education, nearly 600,000 students up to eighth grade will no longer be allowed to use AI tools. Individual screen devices are banned until third grade, and companion chatbots are excluded from all grade levels. For middle school students, the Department of Education recommends limiting daily screen time to 45 minutes. Teachers are allowed to use AI for lesson preparation, but its use for grading assignments remains prohibited.

The city's public stance on the inevitability of AI

According to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the tech sector is trying to present AI education as an inevitability. The municipality states that it does not subscribe to this narrative.