High schoolers will have access to AI literacy classes twice a year, with two 45-minute modules covering what AI is and is not, as well as its potential biases, risks, ethical considerations, and effects on careers and future skills.
The city will also introduce five limited AI pilot programmess for up to 50,000 high school students, with the tools used under the direct supervision of trained educators.
The policy also places limits on students’ individual screen time. Screen time will be restricted for students in second grade and below, while the city recommends daily caps of 30 minutes for grades three through five, and 45 minutes for grades six through eight.
A Technology in Schools Coalition comprising students, educators, parents, elected officials, advocates, unions and experts will assess the policy and limited AI pilot programmes during the school year and make recommendations for the city’s future approach to AI in schools.
Teachers and parents have warned against the use of AI instructional software in schools over concerns about harming children’s mental health and cognitive development, in particular an abdication of reasoning to software, a phenomenon researchers have dubbed “cognitive surrender”, as well as environmental damage.
New York City operates the largest public school system in the US, enrolling roughly 900,000 students a year. The restrictions come amid a broader debate about the use of generative AI in education and its potential effects on learning, student privacy and classroom relationships.
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