New York City Public Schools Block ChatGPT Over Learning Concerns
New York City's Department of Education restricts access to the AI chatbot on school devices and networks due to fears it hinders critical thinking. The ban includes an exception for classes specifically studying artificial intelligence.
New York City's Department of Education bans the popular artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT from all school devices and networks. A spokesperson for the department states that the restriction stems from concerns about negative impacts on student learning, as the tool provides quick answers without fostering critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Despite the sweeping block, the education department makes an exception for specific classes that focus on studying artificial intelligence. It remains unclear whether this ban extends to the City University of New York system, as university representatives do not immediately provide a comment on the matter.
In response to the educational restrictions, OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT, expresses that it does not want its technology used for misleading purposes in schools. A spokesperson for OpenAI notes that the company is already developing mitigations to help anyone identify text generated by the system.