New York City bans generative AI in public schools through 8th grade

New York City officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, have announced a major policy to restrict technology use in the nation’s largest school district. The new rules include a one-year moratorium on generative artificial intelligence for students from kindergarten through 8th grade, affecting approximately 600,000 students.

The policy also implements age-based screen time limits: students in 2nd grade and below will have virtually no individual device use, while those in grades 3-5 are recommended a maximum of 30 minutes daily, and grades 6-8 are limited to 45 minutes. Additionally, AI chatbots designed as emotional support or companions are prohibited across all grades.

This move follows similar trends in other regions, such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, which has also moved to restrict student access to generative AI. The restrictions aim to protect students' critical thinking abilities and teacher-student relationships. Separately, Meta has reached an $18 billion settlement regarding lawsuits from 48 U.S. states alleging its platforms were designed to be addictive for minors, which includes provisions for time limits and stricter age verification.