New York City to ban generative AI for most public school students

New York City said it would temporarily ban most public school students from using all software containing generative artificial intelligence. Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke at a news conference on Wednesday.

He said that the policy will cover children from age two through the eighth grade. He reported that the one-year moratorium will begin from the upcoming school year and that the impact of the measure will be assessed. The city said teachers can still use AI for lesson planning and "operational tasks," if all the tools comply with the city's safety standards.

But it added that the policy exempts students participating in career-readiness programs such as computer science. The city also recommended daily screen time limits for children.