New York City Public Schools has introduced a new artificial intelligence policy for the 2026 academic year, restricting the use of generative AI across the city’s public school system.
Under the policy, students in grades 2 through 8 will not be allowed to use generative AI for academic work. High school students will only be allowed limited access under teacher supervision.
New York City Public Schools is the largest public school system in the United States. The restrictions will affect about 600,000 students, representing around two-thirds of the city’s public school population.
AI Restricted for Younger Students
Mayor Zahran Mamdani said the availability of technology does not mean it should be used in every part of education.
He said children need to learn alongside teachers and classmates, ask questions, solve problems and complete difficult tasks themselves.
Mamdani also said he had not seen credible evidence showing that AI benefits elementary and middle school students, apart from research backed by companies that could profit from the technology.
However, the new policy does not completely remove AI from schools.
All high school students will receive two 45-minute AI literacy lessons each year. These sessions will cover how AI works, its limitations, information bias, data privacy, misinformation, ethical risks, and its possible impact on future jobs.
The aim is to teach students to critically evaluate AI-generated information before relying on it.
Limited AI Pilot Programs in High Schools
New York City will also launch five limited AI pilot programs in high schools using Quill, Edia, Brisk Teaching, Playlab and Intel AI-Ready Schools.
The programs will cover a maximum of 50,000 students and will be limited to no more than five classes in each school.
Students will only be allowed to use AI under the direct supervision of a trained teacher, with usage limited to a maximum of 45 minutes per week.
Mamdani said the pilot programs will not include ChatGPT, Cloud, or similar general-purpose chatbots.
The policy will also ban companion chatbots designed to form emotional or relational connections with users.
Teachers and Some Students Get Exceptions
Teachers will be allowed to use approved AI tools for lesson planning and administrative work, provided the tools meet the school system’s safety and privacy requirements.
Exceptions will also remain for assistive technology used by students with disabilities, English-language learners, and students enrolled in vocational preparation programs such as computer science.
New Screen Time Limits
The policy also introduces limits on individual student screen use.
One-to-one screen use will not be allowed from K2 through grade 2. The school system recommends a maximum of 30 minutes per day for grades 3 through 5 and 45 minutes per day for grades 6 through 8.
These restrictions will not apply to assistive technology, diagnostic examinations, robotics, coding, and certain approved educational activities.
Existing Education Software Under Review
The local education department also plans to remove or disable AI features in more than 38 previously approved educational programs if they fail to meet the new safety and monitoring requirements.
New York City is also forming a Technology in Schools Coalition made up of students, teachers, parents, experts, lawyers, and union representatives.
The group will review the results of the policy and pilot programs during the 2026 academic year and is expected to make recommendations for future policy in April 2027.
The new rules come as New York City public schools prepare to begin the academic year on September 10.
At least 37 US states have issued guidance on AI use in schools, but there is still no common definition of AI literacy or a standardized approach for teaching it.
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