New York City public schools will temporarily ban elementary and middle school students from using generative artificial intelligence tools during the upcoming school year, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Wednesday.

The one-year moratorium will apply to students through eighth grade and is expected to affect around 600,000 public school students. City officials said the policy will stop the use of approximately 40 educational AI tools currently being used in classrooms. Companion chatbots will also be prohibited across all grade levels.

High school students, however, will not be subject to the full ban. Instead, the city plans to introduce AI literacy classes twice a year for all public high school students. Some students will also participate in supervised pilot programs that allow them to use selected AI platforms under the guidance of teachers.

Teachers will continue to be allowed to use artificial intelligence for tasks such as lesson planning, scheduling and other administrative work.

Mayor Mamdani said the decision was based on the importance of human interaction in education. He argued that students need opportunities to learn alongside their classmates, build relationships with teachers and solve difficult problems independently.

The policy comes as school districts across the United States continue to debate how artificial intelligence should be used in education. While supporters see AI as a powerful educational tool, concerns remain about student dependence on technology, academic integrity and the impact of AI on learning and critical-thinking skills.