Norway tightens the screws on AI in schools: primary school students almost entirely deprived of generative tools

Norway has announced a near-total ban on the use of generative artificial intelligence tools in primary schools, a measure intended to protect children's fundamental learning. The government believes that the early use of these technologies could harm the development of essential skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre presented these new rules on Friday, which will come into effect at the start of the school year at the end of August. He believes that the use of AI by younger students risks causing them to skip important stages of their education and learning.

“The most important thing at school is that our children learn to read, write, and do mathematics,” the head of government declared at a press conference. The authorities therefore wish to prioritize traditional teaching methods for the early years of schooling.

Specifically, students in grades 1 through 7, aged 6 to 13, should generally not use generative AI tools. For middle school students aged 14 to 16, limited use will be permitted, but only under teacher supervision and within a strictly structured educational framework.

High school students, aged 17 to 19, will benefit from a different approach. The government believes they need to learn to use artificial intelligence responsibly in order to prepare for higher education and the job market, where these technologies are playing an increasingly important role.

This decision is part of a series of educational reforms undertaken by Oslo to try to reverse the decline in academic performance observed in recent years. In 2024, Norway had already banned smartphones in schools and strengthened teachers' disciplinary powers.

A pioneer in the digitalization of education, Norway began introducing computers into classrooms as early as the 1990s, followed by tablets in subsequent years. However, with this new policy, the country is putting a stop to the unrestricted integration of digital technologies into education, now favoring a more cautious approach in the face of the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.