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Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announce one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for NYC public schools

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative artificial intelligence (AI) for public school students in grades 2-K through 8th grade for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. The policy, which affects nearly 600,000 students, aims to protect students' critical thinking skills and human connections in the classroom. While younger students will have a restricted set of tools, high school students will receive twice-yearly AI literacy classes and access to five limited AI pilots in supervised environments. The administration announced that teachers may continue to use AI for instructional planning and operational tasks, but it will be barred for grading and student assessments. The new policy also introduces age-appropriate screen time restrictions for younger students and a review of all technology tools to ensure they are mission-critical to learning. A new Technology in Schools Coalition will evaluate the impact of the moratorium over the next year to provide recommendations for future years. The administration announced that the city will discontinue or disable the AI components of more than 38 previously allowed programs that do not meet new safety and oversight standards.

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