New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Wednesday, September 2, that elementary and middle school students in public schools would be temporarily prohibited from using artificial intelligence tools during the coming school year. Norway is also preparing to restrict elementary school students' access to these tools.
Starting in late August, children aged 6 to 13 in Norway will not be allowed to use artificial intelligence at school. Students aged 14 to 16 will be permitted to use AI only under teacher supervision.
Age-based AI rules in China
China prohibits elementary school students from using generative AI systems independently, while a separate curriculum that includes AI education is being implemented for older students.
A study of more than 25,000 students in grades 7 through 12 this year found that generative AI can improve homework performance but may weaken the learning process over the long term.
Quick answers may not produce lasting learning
Melike Tanberk, who researches big data and AI ethics at the University of Cambridge, examined children's relationship with the technology from the perspective of the learning process. Tanberk, a graduate of the University of Oxford, said learning can begin with curiosity, but understanding information, connecting it with previous experiences and testing it through application require time.
According to Tanberk, generative AI provides rapid access to information, but that speed does not always translate into genuine learning. When a child receives an immediate answer to a question, the child may satisfy their curiosity but fail to complete the stages of making sense of, internalizing and using the information in daily life.
The “fast-info” learning model
Rapid, easy and superficial consumption of information through AI is described by the term “fast-info.” This approach may reinforce a form of learning in which children struggle to assess what they know and what they do not know while accessing large amounts of information.
Without the internet or AI support, a child may struggle to recall basic facts such as their country's capital, history and geographical location, or to use practical skills such as finding their way. The central issue, therefore, is not access to information but transforming information into understanding, behavior and responsibility.
Why is teacher supervision important?
Artificial intelligence can create personalized learning models based on a student's level. However, the teacher's role cannot be replaced by this technology. Teachers observe what students do and do not understand, correct misconceptions, sustain curiosity and support learning in a social environment.
Discussion, projects, experiments and participation in practical activities are important to this approach. Educational institutions should not merely transmit information; they should also teach students how to select, question and make sense of information.
AI use in education should be adapted to age
The assessment is that the debate is not only about whether artificial intelligence should be used in education. The central issue is which pedagogical approach should guide how children relate to information and how AI use should be adapted to their age and developmental level.
This framework for children's relationship with AI systems does not cover anthropomorphism, emotional attachment, privacy violations, data security, inappropriate content, misinformation or manipulation. The focus is solely on the impact of generative AI on the learning process.
