New York Bans Generative AI in Schools Through Grade 8, Echoing Indonesia’s Child Protection Push

NEW YORK — New York City is taking a tougher stance on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. Starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, students from 2-K through eighth grade will face a one-year moratorium on the use of generative AI tools.

The policy, announced by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels on September 2, 2026, is expected to affect nearly 600,000 students, or roughly two-thirds of the city’s public school population.

The moratorium covers software powered by generative AI that directly interacts with students. AI-powered companion chatbots are also prohibited across the city’s public school system.

Mamdani stressed that the policy does not represent a rejection of technology. Instead, the city wants to ensure that new technologies are introduced into classrooms only when they genuinely support students’ development.

“Children need teachers and human connection in order to learn and grow. They need to develop skills alongside their peers, build relationships with their teachers, and wrestle with tough problems on their own,” Mamdani said.

He also warned against rushing to introduce AI into children’s education without first understanding its potential consequences.

“The tech industry wants us to believe that AI-powered early education is not only inevitable, but necessary. We do not see it that way,” Mamdani said.

The mayor argued that children need opportunities to confront difficult problems, make mistakes, try again and develop independent thinking skills. Those experiences, he said, are fundamental to education and should not simply be handed over to machines.

The policy does not amount to a complete ban on AI across all grade levels. High school students will continue to receive AI literacy education through dedicated lessons twice a year.

New York City will also launch five selected AI pilot programs. Their use will be closely supervised by teachers, with participating students limited to no more than 45 minutes of AI use per week.

Teachers will remain permitted to use AI for certain professional purposes, including lesson planning and operational tasks. However, AI will not be allowed to grade or evaluate students.

The city is also introducing tighter recommendations on screen time. Students in grades three through five are encouraged to spend no more than 30 minutes per day using screens, while the recommended limit for students in grades six through eight is 45 minutes.

Limited exemptions will apply to students with disabilities, students requiring language support and students participating in career-readiness programs such as computer science, subject to specific conditions.

New York will evaluate the impact of the policy throughout the 2026–2027 school year. A Technology in Schools Coalition involving students, teachers, parents, experts and other stakeholders will assess the initiative and provide recommendations for future policy.

New York’s decision comes amid growing international concern over the impact of AI on children and education. The central concern is not simply whether children should have access to AI, but whether excessive reliance on the technology could undermine independent thinking and the learning process itself.

Norway has taken a similar cautious approach. In June 2026, the Norwegian government recommended that generative AI generally should not be used by students in grades one through seven. For grades eight through ten, AI use can be introduced gradually and cautiously under teacher supervision.

The development also bears similarities to Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen child protection in the digital environment through the country’s PP TUNAS framework.

Indonesia has introduced implementing regulations under Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025 concerning the governance of electronic systems for child protection. The rules strengthen safeguards for children online, including provisions restricting children under 16 from holding accounts on high-risk digital platforms.

Indonesia is also preparing a broader national framework for artificial intelligence governance. The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs has said that a presidential regulation on AI is expected to provide an initial framework before a more comprehensive AI law is developed.

“The regulation will provide a clear governance framework to encourage the development of AI that is ethical, transparent and accountable,” Communications and Digital Affairs Ministry Secretary-General Ismail said.

Indonesia has also placed child protection on the international AI governance agenda. Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid, representing President Prabowo Subianto at the Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva in July 2026, called for child protection to become an important principle in global AI governance.

At the same time, efforts to regulate AI are facing pressure from the technology industry. Data compiled by Issue One showed that 11 major technology, social media and AI companies and industry associations spent a combined US$41.8 million lobbying the U.S. federal government during the first half of 2026.

The growing debate highlights a fundamental question for policymakers: how can societies embrace technological progress without allowing AI to replace the human relationships and independent thinking that children need during their formative years?

New York’s policy sends a clear message. AI may have an expanding role in education, but technology should remain a tool that serves children and teachers—not a substitute for teachers, classmates or the process of thinking independently.

For Indonesia, the development in New York offers another international example of the growing emphasis on protecting children as AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life. While New York’s policy and Indonesia’s PP TUNAS framework are not identical in scope or implementation, both reflect a broader global shift toward putting children’s safety, development and human interaction at the center of digital policy.

Adam Smith