New York City Schools to Ban Student-Facing AI Tools for Pupils Through Eighth Grade

New York City Public Schools is preparing to restrict student-facing artificial intelligence tools for pupils from 2-K through eighth grade during the 2026–2027 academic year.

The proposed policy would affect more than half a million students across the nation’s largest public school system and place broad limits on the use of generative AI by younger pupils.

The new guidelines are expected to be released as the academic year gets underway, covering children from pre-school programmes through middle school.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city plans to impose a moratorium on generative AI use among the affected students while officials examine its potential effects on education.

Mamdani told ABC News that the city would use the coming year to assess the technology and better understand its impact on students and schools.

The move comes as schools across the United States grapple with how quickly artificial intelligence is entering classrooms. Educators and parents have raised questions about academic integrity, student learning, privacy and the appropriate age for using AI-powered tools.

Generative AI has increasingly become part of education, with some schools using the technology to support teaching and learning while others remain concerned that excessive reliance on AI could weaken students’ independent learning and critical-thinking skills.

New York’s planned restrictions could therefore become an important test of how large school systems balance the potential benefits of artificial intelligence with concerns about its impact on younger learners.