Norway bans AI in elementary schools

What happened

Norway is largely banning AI tools in elementary schools (grades 1–7, ages 6–13) starting late August, restricting them in lower secondary school (ages 14–16) to supervised, cautious use, and planning to require schools to provide physical teaching materials. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere pointed to declining learning outcomes since around 2015 and blamed smartphones, screens, and algorithms in part.

Why it matters

The government believes uncritical AI use causes students to skip important learning steps in reading, writing, and math. This reflects a broader shift in Norwegian education policy—the country has already banned smartphones in schools and plans a social media ban for children under 16—signaling a deliberate move away from digital-first learning.

What to watch

Other countries are taking varied approaches. Japan classifies AI-generated schoolwork as cheating, and UC Berkeley Law School will ban AI for nearly all graded assignments starting summer 2026. By contrast, the United Arab Emirates will make AI a required subject from kindergarten through 12th grade starting in the 2025-26 school year, and Germany's education ministers have called a ban unrealistic.