New York, NY – Following this morning’s press conference announcing New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guidance for the upcoming school year, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Chair of the Internet and Technology Committee, and New York City Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, Chair of the Committee on Technology, jointly issued the following statement: 

“Our country’s largest public school system is tasked with developing young minds, and it has the opportunity to serve as a leader in informing the future of safe, responsible integration of technology into its educational ecosystem. Guidance on emerging technology is crucial for educators to understand classroom requirements, parents to understand how their children interact with new technology in their learning environment, and students to identify the risks associated with AI and other developing technologies. AI tools must be accompanied by thorough, transparent evaluations and oversight that are guided by developmentally appropriate learning objectives, and students must be taught comprehensive digital literacy and computer science – AI should safely supplement learning, not replace or endanger it. While we see this guide as a step forward in the conversation, the NYCPS guidance falls short of what is needed to meet this moment.

We are pleased to hear that NYCPS is banning all use of AI from Pre-K to Grade 8 while the educational efficacy is still being determined. Five pilot programs, however, are being implemented in high schools with no prior evaluation criteria established. Introducing a technology without clear criteria for safety, bias, and outcomes is bad policy that could harm cognitive and social development. Chancellor Samuels should postpone these pilots until the tools can be properly assessed.

We have seen how influential technology is on the behavioral and cognitive development of our children, and we must take serious responsibility in creating a safe environment for them as they explore emerging technology. This guidance also falls short on digital literacy and skills building, providing only two 45-minute modules for high school students – insufficient for complicated technology and expectation-setting with young adults. We need comprehensive digital literacy that includes online safety and media literacy for all of our students interacting with emerging technology, starting at an early age to set a foundation for responsible use of complex and potentially harmful technology if not properly integrated.”

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Media Contacts: Kat Veloso: Director of Communications, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, veloso@nysenate.gov | 213-422-7036 & Fraynette Familia: Director of Communications, Council Member Carmen De La Rosa | ffamilia@council.nyc.gov | (917) 581-3358