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Winnipeg school divisions are focusing on their own guidelines around artificial intelligence for this upcoming school year as they await direction on a planned ban on chatbots.<\/p>\n
The Manitoba government said this spring classrooms could be the first place where children are banned from using social media and AI chatbots<\/a> as it moves to restrict use of those platforms for all youths under 16.<\/a><\/p>\n No timeline was given as to when the ban would be implemented. Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said in a statement Tuesday her department will be consulting education sector partners on guiding principles “in the coming months” to finalize the guidelines.<\/p>\n At Pembina Trails School Division, classrooms are using artificial intelligence for things such as planning and making different reading assignments based on the reading level.<\/p>\n Michelle Carlos, library learning commons consultant and digital coach at the division, said AI can be a valuable tool when used appropriately but the division is taking its time to ensure there are good guidelines in place.<\/p>\n “I think some of the challenges are having teachers and adults, and even parents, be aware of the technology and know how it works before we put it in the hands of students,” she said Thursday.<\/p>\n Carlos said the division wants students to learn when using AI rather than letting the technology do the work for them.<\/p>\n WATCH | Educators mull use of AI in schools: Manitoba educators grapple with AI in schools<\/p>\n With a provincial ban looming on the use of social media and AI chatbots by youths, Manitoba school divisions and educators are working on strategies to address the new technologies.<\/p>\n “Fact-checking, data privacy and safety, ethical use \u2014 those are all the things we’re having conversations with kids about in classrooms,” she said.<\/p>\n Schmidt said the final guidelines will help teachers and school leadership make ethical and safe decisions about AI use.<\/p>\n The Manitoba Teachers’ Society \u2014 which has previously raised concerns about a complete ban on artificial intelligence and social media<\/a> \u2014 said Wednesday it’s been in discussions with the province to address privacy and security concerns surrounding the technology.<\/p>\n President Lillian Klausen said Wednesday there needs to be oversight by teachers when the technology is being used in classrooms, but there are benefits.<\/p>\n “If we are using some reading materials with students and we need to change some of the reading levels so that it’s accessible to all students, \u2026 \u00a0we can use AI to convert or to adapt” the text, she said. <\/p>\n Louis Riel School Division, which is developing its own AI agents, said it shares concerns about the risks unregulated AI and social media pose to young people.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788788541_526_default.jpg\")
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