The conversation around artificial intelligence has surged in New York City as the Mamdani administration pushes to ban AI in the city’s public schools through middle school for the 2026-2027 school year.
“Children need teachers and human connection to learn and grow. They need to develop skills alongside their peers, build relationships with educators and wrestle with tough problems on their own,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The tech industry wants us to believe that A.I.-powered early education is not only inevitable, but necessary.
Both Mayor Mamdani and New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels believe this measure will help children keep and build the critical thinking skills and human connection they will need beyond school.
“We’re standing firmly in our decision to not conflate innovation with more tech, and we’re going to lead over the next year with evidence and make sure technology serves learning — not the other way around,” said Samuels.
New York State has become one of the leading states in the country pushing for more AI regulation and guidelines, with NY Governor Kathy Hochul pushing towards measures for the state to be a frontrunner in this issue. Additionally, the Trump administration’s push to make artificial intelligence mainstream has expedited efforts to get local governments involved in the process of educating citizens about the impact of AI on communities.
A new AI report by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams echoes these efforts, calling on New York City to put in place worker protections, AI literacy programs, notify people when their information is being used to train AI models, and more.
