Norway Imposes Ban on AI Chatbots in Elementary Schools

Last week, Canada introduced a Safe Social Media Act in the Parliament, banning social media platforms and AI chatbot services for kids under 16, and now, Norway is implementing a near-total ban on AI tools for elementary school students (via Reuters).

The decision, announced by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, aims to counter a noticeable slide in student test scores and prevent children from bypassing essential building blocks in their early development.

The strict new standards are scheduled to take effect at the start of the upcoming school year in late August. Under the new policy, pupils from first through seventh grade, covering children between the ages of 6 and 13, will be entirely restricted from using generative AI tools as a general rule.

During a Friday press conference, Prime Minister Støre made the government’s stance clear, stating that using AI increases the risk that young children skip important steps in their education. He added that the most important thing in school is that children learn to read, write, and do mathematics.

The policy will scale as students grow older, moving away from a flat restriction to a system of supervised training. Teenagers in lower secondary school, spanning ages 14 to 16, will be allowed to use generative AI models, but only under the watchful eye and strict guidance of their teachers. Once students reach upper secondary education, between the ages of 17 and 19, the focus flips toward teaching them how to utilize AI appropriately.

The move follows a broader pattern of pushback against screen time in the country. In 2024, Norway implemented a nationwide smartphone ban in schools while granting teachers more authority to enforce classroom discipline.

More recently, Oslo announced ambitious plans to legally ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms altogether, forcing tech companies to take on the burden of strict age verification.