New York City has announced a one-year moratorium on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by students in public elementary and middle schools, marking one of the most restrictive measures adopted by a US school district over the use of the technology in classrooms.
The policy comes as education authorities across the US grapple with rules governing AI in schools. Other districts, including Los Angeles, are reviewing their policies on the technology.
Around 40 Educational Tools To Be Halted
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Wednesday that schools would stop the current use of about 40 educational tools in classrooms.
"Children need teachers and human connection in order to learn and grow. They need to develop skills alongside their peers, build relationships with educators and wrestle with tough problems on their own," Mamdani said at a press conference.
The policy will cover about 600,000 public school students through eighth grade. High school students, however, will be permitted to use AI in certain cases.
Teachers will also be allowed to use AI for lesson planning and administrative tasks such as scheduling, according to a statement from the city.
Google, Anthropic And Microsoft Yet To Comment
Major AI developers Google, Anthropic and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision.
The move by the country's largest school district is the most restrictive of its kind in the US so far, according to the report.
ChatGPT Was Temporarily Banned In 2022
New York City public schools had previously imposed a temporary ban on ChatGPT shortly after its launch in 2022.
The restriction was subsequently lifted and replaced with a customised AI-powered teaching assistant, according to Microsoft, which has a stake in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.
