New York to Ban AI Use by Students Through Eighth Grade

New York is preparing to bar public-school students from using artificial intelligence through eighth grade, generally covering children up to age 13 or 14. The ban is expected to be announced on Wednesday and take effect the following week.

The measure forms part of a broad technology overhaul in the largest school district in the United States, attended by about 900,000 students each year. Under another policy change, students will not use laptops or tablets in classrooms through third grade, when they are typically 9 or 10 years old.

Teachers and parents have raised concerns about AI software in schools. They fear that handing reasoning over to software, a phenomenon researchers call “cognitive offloading,” could affect children’s mental health and cognitive development. Environmental harm linked to the technology has also drawn concern.

AI will remain allowed in high school, which begins in ninth grade in the U.S. system, but only for defined purposes such as learning about the technology itself. AI “companion chatbots” that offer psychological support will also be prohibited.

Teachers may use AI to prepare lessons or draft messages, but they may not ask it to grade assignments. New York’s Department of Education recommends limiting screen time during class to 45 minutes for students in grades six through eight and 30 minutes for younger elementary pupils. The policy still faces a practical challenge: AI use often takes place outside the school environment, making oversight difficult.

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cognitive offloading