Norway imposes – Norway will restrict generative AI for students from first through seventh grade starting with the late-August school year, allowing limited use only under close teacher supervision for ages 14 to 16. The move follows a 2024 smartphone and tablet ban and comes
A classroom in Norway is about to look different—this time because of generative AI.
The government is imposing a strict ban on the use of generative AI tools by elementary school kids. with the change set to take effect at the start of the new school year. which begins in late August. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere argued at a press conference that AI can let children “skip crucial steps” in learning. His message to schools was blunt: teachers should focus on what students must master—how to “read. write and do mathematics.”.
The policy covers students from first through seventh grade, ages six to 13. For older teens, the rules don’t vanish entirely, but they do narrow. Kids aged 14 to 16 can use generative AI only with a teacher’s supervision. Students 17 and above are encouraged to use AI appropriately on their own.
Norway’s approach didn’t start here. It has already removed smartphones from schools since 2024, a decision described as successful. After the smartphone ban. Norway saw a reduction in bullying. better grades. and a significant decrease in visits to psychologists for mental health issues. The reported effects were especially strong for girls.
That momentum is now pushing into the social-media arena as well. Norway is planning a social media ban for all children under 16, with a bill set to be introduced to parliament by the end of the year.
The Norwegian restrictions land as the United States is also working through its own safeguards for younger users. In Washington. the Senate and the House have been discussing a bill that would require AI companies to implement an age-verification process and would ban them from providing chatbots to minors.
The legislation is known as the so-called Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue Act, or GUARD Act. It advanced past the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, but it has not yet been voted on. The bill’s wording softened last month: it shifted focus from nearly every AI-powered chatbot to “AI companions.” That change has sparked concern among critics. who say the narrower language could allow companies to exempt themselves if chatbot functionality is treated as “incidental.” The critics’ worry is that the line between an “AI companion” and a “search tool” that someone can talk to 24/7 is thin.
For now, Norway is moving first—building a stricter AI boundary for younger students as the school year begins in late August, with teaching time steered back toward the basics Stoere named.
Norway generative AI ban elementary school Jonas Gahr Stoere smartphone ban social media ban under 16 GUARD Act age verification AI companions
So they’re banning AI? good. kids should learn the hard way.
I don’t get it, like are they banning Google too? Because “read write and math” sounds great but kids already use phones for everything…
This is gonna backfire. If 14-16 can use it “with teacher supervision” then teachers just gonna be overwhelmed and kids will sneak it anyway. Also Norway says it reduces bullying, but bullying is more social stuff not apps.
Norway really did the smartphone ban then the AI ban and now “under 16” social media ban??? Sounds like they’re trying to raise kids in a bubble. I saw something about the US GUARD Act and it’s like they’re worried about chatbots but not the same companies, so who even knows. “AI companions” is such a weird loophole word, like what even counts as a companion vs a chatbot.