Another big AI ban hits US schools: Los Angeles blocks access to generative AI tools for all students

Another major US school district is restricting generative artificial intelligence in classrooms, with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) blocking students from accessing generative AI tools on district-issued devices during the 2026-27 school year.Los Angeles school district blocks generative AI for all students. (Representational image) (Unsplash)The move comes amid a wider debate in US schools over how much access students should have to generative AI platforms. It also comes as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani pushes separate restrictions on generative AI for younger students in the city's public schools.Unlike New York City's policy, which focuses on students through eighth grade, Los Angeles' restriction applies to all students.What is Los Angeles doing with AI in schools?LAUSD, the second-largest school district in the US, is blocking student access to generative AI platforms on district-issued devices while it reviews its approach to the technology.Also read: Mamdani won't allow ChatGPT in NYC schools? Why students through 8th grade face generative AI tools banAccording to K12 Dive report, the restriction is being implemented during the 2026-27 school year as the district works on its broader artificial intelligence policy.The district is not, however, abandoning AI altogether. LAUSD is developing a curriculum designed to teach students about artificial intelligence and how to use the technology responsibly.The district's Educational Technology and Innovation team has also stressed the importance of teaching students that AI-generated answers can be inaccurate. Students, officials have said, need to learn how to evaluate AI output rather than automatically accepting it as fact.Teachers will still be able to use AI tools for certain educational purposes, even as student access remains restricted.How does LAUSD's move compare with Mamdani's NYC AI ban?The Los Angeles decision is similar in broad terms to a separate policy announced in New York City under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, but the two measures differ in scope.Also read: Who were David Siambanes and Dawn Stone? Tampa plane crash victims identified; what we knowMamdani announced a one-year restriction on generative AI for students through eighth grade in New York City public schools. High school students will instead have access to AI literacy programs and selected monitored uses of the technology.Los Angeles has taken a broader approach on student access, applying its restriction to students across the district, rather than limiting it to younger grades.Why are US schools restricting generative AI?The growing restrictions reflect concerns among educators about students becoming overly dependent on AI for schoolwork.Generative AI can help students brainstorm, research and work through problems, but schools are also grappling with its potential to make it easier for students to complete assignments without developing their own writing and reasoning skills.LAUSD's approach attempts to balance those concerns with the growing importance of AI literacy. While access is being restricted, the district is preparing students to understand how AI works, where it can fail and how it should be used responsibly.The Los Angeles decision is part of a broader shift in US education as school districts try to establish rules for a technology that has spread rapidly through classrooms.