NYC School’s AI Policy: 5 Things To Know

NEW YORK CITY— Public schools will put new limits on how students use artificial intelligence in public schools, including a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for students in 2-K through eighth grade.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced the policy Wednesday, along with new limits on student screen time.

The changes will affect nearly 600,000 students, about two-thirds of the city’s public school enrollment.

1. AI Use Will Be Halted For Students Through Eighth Grade

Students in 2-K through eighth grade will face a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI during the 2026-27 school year. The policy applies to software that allows students to directly use generative AI.

Companion chatbots will be prohibited across all grades.

Teachers will still be allowed to use AI for instructional planning and operational work, as long as the tools meet NYC Public Schools safety standards.

Students with disabilities, multilingual learners and students in career-readiness programs such as computer science can receive exceptions when AI is used as assistive technology or for those programs.

2. High School Students Will Get AI Literacy And Limited Access

High school students will not face the same blanket moratorium.

All high school students will receive two 45-minute AI literacy lessons each year. The lessons will cover what AI can and cannot do, along with bias, risks, ethics, careers and future workplace skills.

The City will also allow five limited AI pilot programs in high schools.

The pilots can reach a maximum of 50,000 general-education students, or about 5 percent of the public-school student population.

Each high school can use the pilot programs in no more than five classes, and students must use the tools under the direct supervision of a trained educator.

3. Five AI Tools Will Be Tested In Classrooms

The City selected five tools for the pilot programs, with limits on how often students can use them.

Quill: English language arts students will use it for close reading, text analysis and supporting claims with evidence. Use will be limited to 15 minutes per week.

Edia: Math students will receive step-by-step coaching and be asked to explain their reasoning. Use will be limited to 20 minutes per week.

Brisk Teaching: Students will use teacher-created activities for guided practice with selected texts or videos. Brisk Boost will be limited to 10 to 20 minutes once or twice a week.

Playlab: Students in multiple subjects will work with assignment-specific applications and examine AI responses for bias and reasoning. No more than two assignments per marking period can use Playlab.

Intel AI-Ready Schools: Students will work on semester-long projects focused on community problems and developing AI solutions, using the tool for one class period each week.

The City said the pilots were selected based on safety and data-privacy standards, teacher supervision and an emphasis on keeping students responsible for the thinking in the classroom.

4. Screen Time Will Be Capped For Younger Students

The new policy also limits one-to-one screen use for younger students.

Students in second grade and below will face restricted 1:1 screen time. The city recommends daily caps of 30 minutes for students in third through fifth grade and 45 minutes for students in sixth through eighth grade.

The policy also requires the city to review technology tools used in NYC Public Schools. Tools can be barred if officials determine they are not mission-critical to learning.

The review will examine vendor safety and transparency, ethics, learning design, instructional impact, previous research and ongoing feedback from users.

5. A Coalition Will Help Decide What Comes Next

The City plans to use the 2026-27 school year to study how the restrictions and limited AI pilots affect students and schools.

A new Technology in Schools Coalition will bring together students, educators, parent leaders, elected officials, advocates, union partners and technology experts.

The coalition will assess the moratorium and pilot programs and publish recommendations for future school years.

Mamdani framed the policy around keeping human instruction at the center of education.

“Children need teachers and human connection in order to learn and grow," he said.

The administration will use the coming school year to evaluate how AI should be used in City classrooms.