Zohran Mamdani picked 5 winning AI tools for NYC classrooms — and shut out ChatGPT and Claude

The city has vetted the AI it will use, it says, with a focus on safety and data privacy standards, as well as whether student operators will be the primary thinkers, rather than the AI. (Teachers will still be permitted to use AI for instructional planning and other tasks, as long as the technology complies with the school system’s safety standards.)

“Children need teachers and human connection in order 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 Mamdani in a statement. “The tech industry wants us to believe that A.I.-powered early education is not only inevitable, but necessary. We do not see it that way.”

The pilot programs

The city has approved five AI programs for high school students. Those students will only access the tools on an occasional basis, with some usage limited to 15 to 20 minutes per week:

Quill: Earmarked for English language arts classrooms, this system is designed to support close reading, text analysis and the use of evidence to support claims.

Edia: This math-focused program provides coaching and prompts students to explain their reasoning.

Brisk Teaching: Students can get guided practice using teacher-selected texts or videos. Teachers can also set the objectives and guardrails.

Playlab: This pilot is meant to encourage students to examine AI outputs for bias and reasoning across multiple subjects.