According to AFP, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on September 2 (local time) that the city will ban students from using artificial intelligence (AI) until they enter high school to protect children's education and mental health.
The above ban is valid for 1 year, applying to nearly 600,000 public school students from grade 8 and below.
This regulation is predicted to attract attention throughout the United States, because New York's public school system is the largest system in the country.
Only high school students - usually from 14 years old and older - are allowed to use AI in some limited pilot programs. They will also participate in classes on knowledge and skills to use AI twice a year.
Chatbots specifically designed to support emotions will also be banned in all classes.
According to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, children need to be educated in an environment with teachers and direct interaction with friends, instead of being dependent on AI too early. Mr. Mamdani believes that students need to train their skills, build relationships and learn how to solve difficult problems.
Teachers are still allowed to use AI to prepare lesson plans and perform administrative tasks.
In the 2026 - 2027 school year, a working group including students, teachers, parents, elected officials and industry experts will meet to assess the impact of the AI suspension order before announcing the results.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul believes that technology needs to be used to support children and learning, instead of becoming a barrier to this process.
The new regulations were issued after the city announced the initial framework in March, allowing students to use AI to research, explore and implement creative projects. This regulation has faced strong opposition from many parents and teachers - who believe the regulations are not strict enough.
In response to the above reaction, the head of the public school system in New York City, Kamar Samuels, admitted that the leaders "did not achieve the goal" in communication work, and said that the agency will consider feedback to include it in future regulations.
