Why Tech Companies Are Making School AI Policy Worse

In this episode we explore a consequential week for AI in education, and the growing tension between how quickly technology companies are putting AI into schools and how quickly school systems can decide what responsible adoption should look like.We examine new AI restrictions from New York City Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District, including why two of the nation’s largest school systems are taking such cautious approaches. We also look at the broader environment behind those decisions: Google making Gemini available to students by default, Anthropic expanding Claude into education, and the challenge schools face when powerful new technologies arrive before districts have had the opportunity to evaluate or intentionally adopt them.Topics covered:New York City’s restrictions on student AI useLAUSD’s decision to block AI on district devicesGoogle making Gemini available to students by defaultWhy “opt-out” AI adoption creates challenges for schoolsThe importance of keeping educators and administrators in the loop when new AI features launchAnthropic’s Claude offerings for teachers and administratorsStudent privacy concerns when educators upload information to AI toolsThe American Psychological Association’s guidance on children, adolescents, and education technologyThe launch of Responsible Technology and EducationHave a story we should be following, or are you experimenting with AI in your classroom, school, or district? Reach us at [email protected]:https://apnews.com/article/zohran-mamdani-ai-ban-nyc-schools-647f6a968eea0399521b7934418b1affhttps://www.k12dive.com/news/lausd-restricts-all-students-from-using-ai-tools/829612/https://www.edweek.org/technology/schools-caught-flat-footed-after-google-makes-gemini-chatbot-available-to-all-students/2026/09