New York City Department of Education completely bans the use of AI in schools for elementary and middle school students

Announcement of city education office regulations… “Safety device to protect children’s curiosity and creativity”

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim A-ram = New York City, USA, is taking strong regulations to completely ban the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools by elementary and middle school students.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 1st (local time), the New York City Office of Education will announce technology use rules on the 2nd, banning the use of AI by local public elementary and middle school students starting next week when school starts.

According to this rule, about 600,000 students, or about two-thirds of all public school students in New York City, will not be able to use AI in school until they enter high school.

The use of individual digital device screens in the classroom is not permitted until the second grade of elementary school.

High school students can use AI on a limited basis, but the use of so-called 'companion chatbots' that provide mental and emotional support is prohibited in all grades of elementary, middle, and high school.

Teachers can use AI in their work for purposes such as creating lesson plans and translating materials. However, you cannot receive help with grading assignments, determining whether a student will graduate, or determining counseling methods.

The regulation does not apply to educational programs approved by central authorities, such as e-books and coding software across all grades, as well as some student assessment tests and tools for learners with disabilities.

New York City Superintendent Qamar Samuels explained the background in a statement, saying, “We are putting safeguards in place to protect the important human connection, curiosity, and creativity that help children grow.”

“The tech industry would like us to believe that AI-based early education is not only inevitable, but essential, but we don’t see it that way,” New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani said in a statement.

Previously, in the United States, some school districts, including Los Angeles, began enforcing regulations on the use of digital devices in schools.

In addition, regulations that directly restrict the use of AI are gradually appearing in countries around the world, such as Norway effectively banning the use of generative AI tools for elementary school students starting from the new semester last month.